In vivo topoisomerase II cleavage sites in the ribosomal DNA of Physarum polycephalum

We have analyzed the topoisomerase II cleavage sites in the extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA of the lower eukaryote Physarum polycephaium using the topoisomerase II-specific inhibitor, 6,8-difluoro-7-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1 -cyclopropyl-4-quinolone-3-carboxylic acid. Most of the in vivo topoisomerase II cleavage sites were found either in the transcribed region of ribosomal DNA or in the palindromic region surrounded by the replication origins. Two classes of sites were identified: those which correlate with DNase I hypersensitive sites and corresponding to an open chromatin configuration (transcribed region) and internucleosomal cleavage sites (in the region of replication origins). Topoisomerase II drug-induced cleavage in the ribosomal DNA was considerably reduced upon Physarum differentiation to a dormant stage of life, the spherules. In contrast, the amount of drug-dependent cleavage was found to increase during the metaphase of mitosis, when rDNA transcription is shut off. These findings suggest a role for topoisomerase II in the ribosomal DNA minichromosomes segregation, in addition to its role in transcription. Finally, the similarity between iv: vivo sites and those observed following drug treatment of isolated nuclei indicates that no profound change occurs in rDNA chromatin conformation during nuclei isolation. By contrast, in vitro cleavage sites with purified topoisomerase II weakly correlate to in vivo, indicating a prominent role for chromatin structure in determining the interaction sites of topoisomerase II with DNA in vivo.