Topoisomerases of kinetoplastid parasites: why so fascinating?

Unveiling the mechanism of hesperidin-induced LdTopI-mediated cell death pathway in protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani

Unicellular protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani is the causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar, a neglected fatal parasitic disease. The conventional treatment of VL consists of therapeutic agents having several shortcomings such as toxicity, high cost, efficacy variance and increased drug resistance. Therefore, there is a desperate need to develop an effective treatment against the parasite. Previous reports suggested that flavonoids can inhibit the enzyme Leishmania donovani DNA topoisomerase I (LdTopILS). Therefore, for the first time in this present study, we divulge HSP (one of the natural sources of flavonoids), as a potent natural antileishmanial compound with efficacy in BALB/c mice at 20 mg/kg of body weight, inhibits LdTopILS at 97 % of its activity at 160 μM in preincubation condition (competitively). It binds with free enzyme and does not allow it to bind with the substrate DNA. Moreover, HSP does not stabilize DNA-topoisomerase I cleavable complex. Thus, HSP acts a catalytic topoisomerase I inhibitor, which inhibits complete activity by binding with Lys269 and Thr411 of large subunit of the enzyme. On the other hand, HSP induces the topo I-mediated programmed cell death process by the formation of cellular reactive oxygen species, resulting in depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, followed by fragmentation of nuclear DNA. Therefore, the present study illuminates a natural flavonoid that in future might be a promising lead for the treatment of VL.

Novel Pyrido[2',1':2,3]imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline Derivative Selectively Poisons Leishmania donovani Bisubunit Topoisomerase 1 to Inhibit the Antimony-Resistant Leishmania Infection in Vivo

The unique bisubunit structure of Leishmania donovani topoisomerase 1B (LdTop1) is a potential drug target in the parasites unlike the monomeric Top1 from its human host counterpart. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and validation of a chimeric pyrido[2',1':2,3]imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline derivative (C17) as a novel antileishmanial agent that poisons topoisomerase 1-DNA covalent complexes (LdTop1cc) inside the parasites and inhibits Top1 religation activity both in the drug sensitive and antimony-resistant L. donovani clinical isolates. Importantly, the human Top1 is not sensitive to C17. Further, C17 overcomes the chemical instability of camptothecin (CPT) by generating persistent LdTop1cc-induced DNA breaks inside the parasites even after 12 h of drug removal. Intraperitoneal administration of C17 results in marked reduction of the Leishmania amastigotes from the infected spleen and liver of BALB/c mice. C17 confers a host protective immune-response up-regulating the Th1 cytokines facilitating parasite clearance which can be exploited for treating drug-resistant leishmaniasis.

Demystifying the potential of inhibitors targeting DNA topoisomerases in unicellular protozoan parasites

DNA topoisomerases are a group of enzymes omnipresent in all organisms. They maintain the DNA topology during replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. However, the structure of topoisomerase in protozoan parasites differs significantly from that of human topoisomerases; thus, this enzyme acts as a crucial target in drug development against parasitic diseases. Although the therapeutic potential of drugs targeting the parasitic topoisomerase is well known, to manage the shortcomings of currently available therapeutics and the emergence of drug resistance, the discovery of novel antiparasitic molecules is an urgent need. In this review, we describe various investigational and repurposed topoisomerase inhibitors developed against protozoan parasites over the past few years. Teaser: Fatal parasitic diseases are an increasing cause for concern; here, we provide a compilation of different inhibitors targeting DNA topoisomerases, enzymes that are essential for, and unique to, protozoan parasites; therefore, inhibitors are efficient and have few adverse effects.

Trapped topoisomerase-DNA covalent complexes in the mitochondria and their role in human diseases

Topoisomerases regulate DNA topology, organization of the intracellular DNA, the transmission of genetic materials, and gene expressions. Other than the nuclear genome, mitochondria also harbor the small, circular DNA (mtDNA) that encodes a critical subset of proteins for the production of cellular ATP; however, mitochondria are solely dependent on the nucleus for all the mitochondrial proteins necessary for mtDNA replication, repair, and maintenance. Mitochondrial genome compiles topological stress from bidirectional transcription and replication, therefore imports four nuclear encoded topoisomerases (Top1mt, Top2α, Top2β, and Top3α) in the mitochondria to relax mtDNA supercoiling generated during these processes. Trapping of topoisomerase on DNA results in the formation of protein-linked DNA adducts (PDAs), which are widely exploited by topoisomerase-targeting anticancer drugs. Intriguingly mtDNA is potentially exposed to DNA damage that has been attributed to a variety of human diseases, including neurodegeneration, cancer, and premature aging. In this review, we focus on the role of different topoisomerases in the mitochondria and our current understanding of the mitochondrial DNA damage through trapped protein-DNA complexes, and the progress in the molecular mechanisms of the repair for trapped topoisomerase covalent complexes (Topcc). Finally, we have discussed how the pathological DNA lesions that cause mtDNA damage,trigger mitochondrial fission and mitophagy, which serve as quality control events for clearing damaged mtDNA.

Basic Biology of Trypanosoma cruzi

The present review addresses basic aspects of the biology of the pathogenic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi and some comparative information of Trypanosoma brucei. Like eukaryotic cells, their cellular organization is similar to that of mammalian hosts. However, these parasites present structural particularities. That is why the following topics are emphasized in this paper: developmental stages of the life cycle in the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts; the cytoskeleton of the protozoa, especially the sub-pellicular microtubules; the flagellum and its attachment to the protozoan body through specialized junctions; the kinetoplast-mitochondrion complex, including its structural organization and DNA replication; glycosome and its role in the metabolism of the cell; acidocalcisome, describing its morphology, biochemistry, and functional role; cytostome and the endocytic pathway; the organization of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex; the nucleus, describing its structural organization during interphase and division; and the process of interaction of the parasite with host cells. The unique characteristics of these structures also make them interesting chemotherapeutic targets. Therefore, further understanding of cell biology aspects contributes to the development of drugs for chemotherapy.

Identification of trans-2-cis-8-Matricaria-ester from the Essential Oil of Erigeron multiradiatus and Evaluation of Its Antileishmanial Potential by in Vitro and in Silico Approaches

The essential oil (EO) composition of the aerial parts of Erigeron multiradiatus (Lindl.ex DC.) Benth growing wild in the central Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India, was analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A sum of 12 constituents was identified, representing 97.81% of the oil composition. The oil was composed mainly of oxygenated monoterpenes (88.95%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (5.61%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (3.05%), and monoterpene hydrocarbons (0.20%). Major constituents identified were trans-2-cis-8-matricaria-ester (77.79%), cis-lachnophyllum ester (11.04%), zingiberene (4.43%), and spathulenol (1.59%). Further, the leishmanicidal effect of EO and the purified compound trans-2-cis-8-matricaria-ester has been investigated against Leishmania donovani promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. EO and trans-2-cis-8-matricaria-ester were safer for the hamster peritoneal macrophage and lethal to promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes at different concentrations. Further, using an in silico approach, these four compounds were tested against 10 major proteins of L. donovani associated with its virulence. Out of them, only trans-2-cis-8-matricaria-ester was found to be effective against the four target proteins, namely, l-asparaginase-1-like protein, metacaspase 2, metacaspase 1, and DNA topoisomerase II of L. donovani. The results indicate that EO contains trans-2-cis-8-matricaria-ester as a major component and showed antileishmanial activity which may facilitate discovery of new lead molecules for developing herbal medicines against visceral leishmaniasis.

Screening of the Pathogen Box reveals new starting points for anti-trypanosomal drug discovery

This study aimed to uncover new starting points for anti-trypansomal drug discovery through the screening of the Pathogen Box against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Our study identified compounds 35, 39, 46, 53 and 56 whose activity and selectivity highlighted them as promising candidates with potential for further study and optimisation.

Trypanosomatids topoisomerase re-visited. New structural findings and role in drug discovery

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There is an urgent need of new treatments against trypanosomatids-borne diseases.

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DNA topoisomerases are pointed as potential drug targets against unicellular parasites.

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Trypanosomatids have a full set of DNA topoisomerases in both nucleus and kinetoplast.

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TopII and TopIII are located in the kinetoplast and fully involved in kDNA replication.

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Tritryps TopIB differ in structure from mammalian’s pointing to an attractive target.

The Trypanosomatidae family, composed of unicellular parasites, causes severe vector-borne diseases that afflict human populations worldwide. Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, as well as different sorts of leishmaniases are amongst the most important infectious diseases produced by Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp., respectively. All these infections are closely related to weak health care services in low-income populations of less developed and least economically developed countries. Search for new therapeutic targets in order to hit these pathogens is of paramount priority, as no effective vaccine is currently in use against any of these parasites. Furthermore, present-day chemotherapy comprises old-fashioned drugs full of important side effects. Besides, they are prone to produce tolerance and resistance as a consequence of their continuous use for decades. DNA topoisomerases (Top) are ubiquitous enzymes responsible for solving the torsional tensions caused during replication and transcription processes, as well as in maintaining genomic stability during DNA recombination. As the inhibition of these enzymes produces cell arrest and triggers cell death, Top inhibitors are among the most effective and most widely used drugs in both cancer and antibacterial therapies. Top relaxation and decatenation activities, which are based on a common nicking–closing cycle involving one or both DNA strands, have been pointed as a promising drug target. Specific inhibitors that bind to the interface of DNA-Top complexes can stabilize Top-mediated transient DNA breaks. In addition, important structural differences have been found between Tops from the Trypanosomatidae family members and Tops from the host. Such dissimilarities make these proteins very interesting for drug design and molecular intervention. The present review is a critical update of the last findings regarding trypanosomatid’s Tops, their new structural features, their involvement both in the physiology and virulence of these parasites, as well as their use as promising targets for drug discovery.

The double-edged sword in pathogenic trypanosomatids: the pivotal role of mitochondria in oxidative stress and bioenergetics

The pathogenic trypanosomatids Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania spp. are the causative agents of African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis, respectively. These diseases are considered to be neglected tropical illnesses that persist under conditions of poverty and are concentrated in impoverished populations in the developing world. Novel efficient and nontoxic drugs are urgently needed as substitutes for the currently limited chemotherapy. Trypanosomatids display a single mitochondrion with several peculiar features, such as the presence of different energetic and antioxidant enzymes and a specific arrangement of mitochondrial DNA (kinetoplast DNA). Due to mitochondrial differences between mammals and trypanosomatids, this organelle is an excellent candidate for drug intervention. Additionally, during trypanosomatids' life cycle, the shape and functional plasticity of their single mitochondrion undergo profound alterations, reflecting adaptation to different environments. In an uncoupling situation, the organelle produces high amounts of reactive oxygen species. However, these species role in parasite biology is still controversial, involving parasite death, cell signalling, or even proliferation. Novel perspectives on trypanosomatid-targeting chemotherapy could be developed based on better comprehension of mitochondrial oxidative regulation processes.

Identification and characterization of the regions involved in the nuclear translocation of the heterodimeric leishmanial DNA topoisomerase IB

Leishmania donovani, the causative organism for visceral leishmaniasis, contains a unique heterodimeric DNA-topoisomerase IB (LdTopIB). LdTopIB is a heterodimer made up of a large subunit and a small subunit that must interact with each other to build an active enzyme able to solve the topological tensions on the DNA. As LdTopIB is located within the nucleus, one or more nuclear localization signals (NLS) should exist to ensure its nuclear translocation. In this report three novel NLS have been identified through a sequential deletion study of the genes encoding of both subunits fused to that encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP). NLS1 is a highly basic sequence of 43 amino acids in the C-terminal extension of the large protomer. We found two well-defined sequences in the small protomer: NLS2 is a 10-amino acid motif located in the N-terminal extension of the protein; NLS3 consists of a complex region of 28 amino acids placed in the vicinity of the catalytic Tyr-222 included at the conserved SKINY signature within the C-terminal. Furthermore, by means of yeast cell viability assays, conducted with several LdTopIB chimeras lacking any of the NLS motives, we have revealed that both subunits are transported independently to the nucleus. There was no evidence of LdTopIB accumulation in mitochondria or association to the kinetoplast DNA network. The results rule out the former hypothesis, which attributes nucleocytoplasmic transport of LdTopIB entirely to the large subunit. The LdTopIB is localized to the nucleus only.

DNA topoisomerase II is involved in regulation of cyst wall protein genes and differentiation in Giardia lamblia

The protozoan Giardia lamblia differentiates into infectious cysts within the human intestinal tract for disease transmission. Expression of the cyst wall protein (cwp) genes increases with similar kinetics during encystation. However, little is known how their gene regulation shares common mechanisms. DNA topoisomerases maintain normal topology of genomic DNA. They are necessary for cell proliferation and tissue development as they are involved in transcription, DNA replication, and chromosome condensation. A putative topoisomerase II (topo II) gene has been identified in the G. lamblia genome. We asked whether Topo II could regulate Giardia encystation. We found that Topo II was present in cell nuclei and its gene was up-regulated during encystation. Topo II has typical ATPase and DNA cleavage activity of type II topoisomerases. Mutation analysis revealed that the catalytic important Tyr residue and cleavage domain are important for Topo II function. We used etoposide-mediated topoisomerase immunoprecipitation assays to confirm the binding of Topo II to the cwp promoters in vivo. Interestingly, Topo II overexpression increased the levels of cwp gene expression and cyst formation. Microarray analysis identified up-regulation of cwp and specific vsp genes by Topo II. We also found that the type II topoisomerase inhibitor etoposide has growth inhibition effect on Giardia. Addition of etoposide significantly decreased the levels of cwp gene expression and cyst formation. Our results suggest that Topo II has been functionally conserved during evolution and that Topo II plays important roles in induction of the cwp genes, which is key to Giardia differentiation into cysts.

Giardia lamblia becomes infective by differentiation into water-resistant cysts. During encystation, cyst wall proteins (CWPs) are highly synthesized and are targeted to the cyst wall. However, little is known about the regulation mechanisms of these genes. DNA topoisomerases can resolve the topological problems and are needed for a variety of key cellular functions, including cell proliferation, cell differentiation and organ development in higher eukaryotes. We found that giardial Topo II was highly expressed during encystation. Topo II is present in Giardia nuclei and is associated with the encystation-induced cwp gene promoters. Topo II has typical DNA cleavage activity of type II topoisomerases. Interestingly, overexpression of Topo II can induce cwp gene expression and cyst formation. Addition of a type II topoisomerase inhibitor, etoposide, significantly decreased the levels of cwp gene expression and cyst formation. Etoposide also has growth inhibition effect on Giardia. Our results suggest that Topo II plays an important role in induction of encystation by up-regulation of the cwp gene expression. Our results provide insights into the function of Topo II in parasite differentiation into cysts and help develop ways to interrupt the parasite life cycle.

Leishmaniasis: vaccine candidates and perspectives

Leishmania is a protozoan parasite and a causative agent of the various clinical forms of leishmaniasis. High cost, resistance and toxic side effects of traditional drugs entail identification and development of therapeutic alternatives. The sound understanding of parasite biology is key for identifying novel drug targets, that can induce the cell mediated immunity (mainly CD4+ and CD8+ IFN-gamma mediated responses) polarized towards a Th1 response. These aspects are important in designing a new vaccine along with the consideration of the candidates with respect to their ability to raise memory response in order to improve the vaccine performance. This review is an effort to identify molecules according to their homology with the host and their ability to be used as potent vaccine candidates.

Identification of a Functional Type IA Topoisomerase, LdTopIIIβ, from Kinetoplastid Parasite Leishmania donovani

DNA topoisomerases of kinetoplastids represent a family of DNA processing enzymes that essentially solve the topological problems not only in nuclear DNA but also in kinetoplast DNA. We have, for the first time, identified a Leishmania donovani homologue of bacterial and eukaryotic IA type of topoisomerase III protein and termed as LdTopIIIβ. Complementation study of wild-type and mutant LdTopIIIβ with slow-growing topoisomerase III mutant yeast S. cerevisiae revealed the functional conservation of the leishmanial counterpart of topoisomerase IIIβ protein, the 327 tyrosine being the active site amino acid. A C-terminal deletion construct of LdTopIIIβ could not suppress the slow-growth phenotype of mutant yeast, indicating the requirement of C-terminal region for the enzyme function in vivo.LdTopIIIβ localized inside the nucleus and kinetoplast of the parasite. Taken together, our study indicates functional conservation and possible role of LdTopIIIβ in parasite DNA processing.

Targeting essential pathways in trypanosomatids gives insights into protozoan mechanisms of cell death

Apoptosis is a normal component of the development and health of multicellular organisms. However, apoptosis is now considered a prerogative of unicellular organisms, including the trypanosomatids of the genera Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp., causative agents of some of the most important neglected human diseases. Trypanosomatids show typical hallmarks of apoptosis, although they lack some of the key molecules contributing to this process in metazoans, like caspase genes, Bcl-2 family genes and the TNF-related family of receptors. Despite the lack of these molecules, trypanosomatids appear to have the basic machinery to commit suicide. The components of the apoptotic execution machinery of these parasites are slowly coming into light, by targeting essential processes and pathways with different apoptogenic agents and inhibitors. This review will be confined to the events known to drive trypanosomatid parasites to apoptosis.

Mutational study of the "catalytic tetrad" of DNA topoisomerase IB from the hemoflagellate Leishmania donovani: Role of Asp-353 and Asn-221 in camptothecin resistance

Leishmania donovani, the causative organism for visceral leishmaniasis, contains a unique bisubunit DNA-topoisomerase IB (LdTopIB). The catalytically active enzyme is a heterodimer constituted by a large subunit (LdTopIL) containing a non-conserved N-terminal end and the phylogenetically conserved core domain, whereas the small subunit (LdTopIS) harbors the C-terminal domain with the characteristic tyrosine residue in the active site. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to substitute the basic amino acid (Arg-314, Lys-352, Arg-410 and His-453) of the LdTopIL subunit by the neutral amino acid alanine. The expression of these mutants in a topoisomerase-free yeast strain produced inactive proteins. Similarly, when the Tyr-222 from small subunit, involved in DNA cleavage, was substituted by Phe no topoisomerase activity was detected in yeast overexpressing extracts. In addition two substitutions involved in camptothecin inhibition were also analyzed. Asp-353 located in the core domain of the large subunit and Asn-221 which heads Tyr-222 in the small subunit, were replaced by Ala and Ser, respectively. These mutants were insensitive to the inhibitor; despite they displayed significant relaxation activity.

A novel ATP-binding cassette transporter, ABCG6 is involved in chemoresistance of Leishmania

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters constitute the biggest family of membrane proteins involved in drug resistance and other biological activities. Resistance of leishmanial parasites to therapeutic drugs continues to escalate in developing countries and in many instances it is due to overexpressed ABC efflux pumps. Progressively adapted camptothecin (CPT)-resistant parasites show overexpression of a novel ABC transporter, which was classified as ABCG6. Transfection and overexpression of LdABCG6 in wild type parasites, shows its localization primarily in the plasma membrane and flagellar pocket region. Overexpressed LdABCG6 confers substantial CPT resistance to the parasites by rapid drug efflux. Various inhibitors have been tested for their ability to revert the CPT-resistant phenotype to specifically understand the inhibition of LdABCG6 transporter. Transport experiments using everted membrane vesicles were carried out to gain an insight into the kinetics of drug transport. This study provides further knowledge of specific membrane traffic ATPase and its involvement in the chemoresistance of Leishmania.

The large subunit of Leishmania topoisomerase I functions as the 'molecular steer' in type IB topoisomerase

Kinetoplastid topoisomerase IB is an unusual bisubunit enzyme where reconstitution of the large (LdTOPIL or L) and small (LdTOPIS or S) subunits shows functional activity. It is yet to be deciphered whether one subunit or both navigate the heterodimer to its cellular DNA targets. Tethering a specific DNA-binding protein to topoisomerase I alters its site specificity. The chimeric constructs UMSBP-LdTOPIL/S or U-L/S (fusion of UMSBP to the N-terminus of L and reconstituted with S) and LdTOPIL/UMSBP-LdTOPIS or L/U-S (fusion of UMSBP to the N-terminus of S and reconstituted with L) exhibit relaxation activity. Only U-L/S shows altered site specificity and enhanced DNA-binding affinity for the universal minicircle sequence (UMS) containing substrate. This proves that L alone serves as the 'molecular steer' for this heterodimer. Reconstituted U-L/S also induces cleavage close to UMS and causes minicircle linearization. The differential properties of the reconstituted chimeras U-L/S and L/U-S reveal the structural and functional asymmetry between the heterodimer. Therefore this study helps in a better understanding of the mechanistic details underlying topoisomerization by this bi-subunit enzyme.

Expression, purification and characterization of recombinant mitochondrial topoisomerase II of kinetoplastid Crithidia fasciculata in High-five insect cells

Topoisomerase II of kinetoplastid parasites plays an important role in the replication of unusual networks of kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) and is a very useful target for antiparasitic drugs. In this study, we cloned full-length Crithidia fasciculata mitochondrial topoisomerase II gene into pFastBac-HTc vector and successfully expressed an active recombinant full-length mitochondrial topoisomerase II in Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system. A rapid and simple purification strategy was established by incorporating a FLAG-tag at the C-terminus of the protein. The purified recombinant topoisomerase II showed a major single band on SDS-PAGE (>96% purity) and was verified through Western blot analysis. The recombinant full-length mitochondrial topoisomerase II exhibited decatenation, catenation and relaxation activity of type II topoisomerase as well as various sensitivities to a series of known topoisomerase inhibitors. These studies explore new way and lay groundwork to express all other similar full-length kinetoplastid topoisomerases, it will also facilitate further elucidation of X-ray structure, catalysis mechanism of kinetoplastid topoisomerases and design of new antiparasitic drugs targeting kinetoplastid topoisomerases.

Induction of apoptosis-like cell death by pentamidine and doxorubicin through differential inhibition of topoisomerase II in arsenite-resistant L. donovani

The current study has been undertaken to investigate the sensitivity of the topoisomerase II (topo II) of wild type (Ld-Wt) and arsenite-resistant (Ld-As20) L. donovani to an anti-leishmanial agent pentamidine and an anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. We demonstrate that the cross resistance to pentamidine and doxorubicin in Ld-As20, was in part implicated through differential inhibition of topo II in Ld-Wt and Ld-As20. Further, the treatment of promastigotes at drug concentrations inhibiting 50% of topo II activity inflicted a regulated cell death sharing several apoptotic features like externalization of phosphatidylserine, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome C release into the cytosol, activation of cellular proteases and DNA fragmentation. The cytotoxic potential of pentamidine and doxorubicin in L. donovani has been shown to be mediated through topoisomerase II inhibition and results in inciting programmed cell death process.

LaRbp38: a Leishmania amazonensis protein that binds nuclear and kinetoplast DNAs

Leishmania amazonensis causes a wide spectrum of leishmaniasis. There are no vaccines or adequate treatment for leishmaniasis, therefore there is considerable interest in the identification of new targets for anti-leishmania drugs. The central role of telomere-binding proteins in cell maintenance makes these proteins potential targets for new drugs. In this work, we used a combination of purification chromatographies to screen L. amazonensis proteins for molecules capable of binding double-stranded telomeric DNA. This approach resulted in the purification of a 38kDa polypeptide that was identified by mass spectrometry as Rbp38, a trypanosomatid protein previously shown to stabilize mitochondrial RNA and to associate with nuclear and kinetoplast DNAs. Western blotting and supershift assays confirmed the identity of the protein as LaRbp38. Competition and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that LaRbp38 interacted with kinetoplast and nuclear DNAs in vivo and suggested that LaRbp38 may have dual cellular localization and more than one function.

Mitochondrial topoisomerases and alternative splicing of the human TOP1mt gene

Mitochondria are the only organelles containing metabolically active DNA besides nuclei. By analogy with the nuclear topoisomerases, mitochondrial topoisomerase activities are probably critical for maintaining the topology of mitochondrial DNA during replication, transcription, and repair. Mitochondrial diseases include a wide range of defects including neurodegeneracies, myopathies, metabolic abnormalities and premature aging. Vertebrates only have one known specific mitochondrial topoisomerase gene (TOP1mt), coding for a type IB topoisomerase. Like the mitochondrial DNA and RNA polymerase, the TOP1mt gene is encoded in the nuclear genome. The TOP1mt gene possesses the 13 exon Top1B signature motif and codes for a mitochondrial targeting signals at the N-terminus of the Top1mt polypeptide. This review summarizes our current knowledge of mitochondrial topoisomerases (type IA, IB and type II) in eukaryotes including budding and fission yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe) and protozoan parasites (kinetoplastidiae and plasmodium). It also includes new data showing alternative splice variants of human TOP1mt.