DNA topoisomerase I (EC 5.99.1.2) [1,2,3,4] is one of the two types of enzyme that catalyze the interconversion of topological DNA isomers. Type I topoisomerases act by catalyzing the transient breakage of DNA, one strand at a time, and the subsequent rejoining of the strands. When a prokaryotic type I topoisomerase breaks a DNA backbone bond, it simultaneously forms a protein-DNA link where the hydroxyl group of a tyrosine residue is joined to a 5'-phosphate on DNA, at one end of the enzyme-severed DNA strand.

Prokaryotic organisms, such as Escherichia coli, have two type I topoisomerase isozymes: topoisomerase I (gene topA) and topoisomerase III (gene topB). Eukaroytes also contain homologs of prokaryotic topoisomerase III.

There are a number of conserved residues in the region around the active site tyrosine; we used this region as a signature pattern.