Cellular topoisomerase I modulates origin binding by bovine papillomavirus type 1 E1

In addition to viral proteins E1 and E2, bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) depends heavily on host replication machinery for genome duplication. It was previously shown that E1 binds to and recruits cellular replication proteins to the BPV1 origin of replication, including DNA polymerase α-primase, replication protein A (RPA), and more recently, human topoisomerase I (Topo I). Here, we show that Topo I specifically stimulates the origin binding of E1 severalfold but has no effect on nonorigin DNA binding. This is highly specific, as binding to nonorigin DNA is not stimulated, and other cellular proteins that bind E1, such as RPA and polymerase α-primase, show no such effect. The stimulation of E1's origin binding by Topo I is not synergistic with the stimulation by E2. Although the enhanced origin binding of E1 by Topo I requires ATP and Mg²⁺ for optimal efficiency, ATP hydrolysis is not required. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we showed that the interaction between E1 and Topo I is decreased in the presence of DNA. Our results suggest that Topo I participates in the initiation of papillomavirus DNA replication by enhancing E1 binding to the BPV1 origin.