Topoisomerase II-induced Chromosome Breakage and Translocation Is Determined by Chromosome Architecture and Transcriptional Activity [ChIP-seq]

Topoisomerase II (TOP2) relieves torsional stress during transcription, DNA replication and chromosome segregation, by forming transient cleavage complex intermediates (TOP2ccs) that contain TOP2-linked DNA breaks. While TOP2ccs are normally reversible they can be ‘trapped’ by chemotherapeutic drugs such as etoposide, and subsequently converted into irreversible TOP2-linked DSBs that threaten genome stability. Here, using genomics approaches, we have quantified the etoposide-induced trapping of TOP2ccs, their conversion into irreversible TOP2-linked DSBs, and their processing during DNA repair genome-wide, as a function of time. We find that while TOP2 trapping is independent of transcription it requires pre-existing binding of cohesin to DNA. In contrast, the conversion of trapped TOP2ccs to irreversible DSBs during DNA repair is accelerated two-fold at transcribed loci, relative to non-transcribed loci. This conversion is dependent on proteasomal degradation and TDP2 phosphodiesterase activity. Quantitative modeling shows that only two critical features of pre-existing chromatin structure- namely, cohesin binding and transcriptional activity- can be used to accurately predict the kinetics of TOP2-induced DSBs. Thus, our study permits a mechanistic understanding of TOP2 induced genome instability.