🧬 Our new paper is out in @natsmb.nature.com! ATRX is one of the most mutated genes in cancer, and linked to the rare ATR-X syndrome. We ran genome-scale CRISPR screens to map how it protects the genome, and found it is doing two separate jobs... 🧵 (1/4) nature.com/articles/s41594-026-01827-2

Distinct ATRX functions cooperate with 9-1-1 and CST complexes to safeguard replication and telomere integrity - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

Segura-Bayona et al. uncover genetically separable ATRX functions that independently safeguard telomeres and genome replication, revealing how CST and 9-1-1 pathways suppress accumulation of toxic sin...

nature.com

Often mutated in cancer, the ATRX gene helps cells copy their DNA without damage. Crick scientists have uncovered new functions for this gene that might leave ATRX-deficient cancer cells vulnerable to potential treatments. https://bit.ly/4v7HTcW

Loss of DNA protector gene exposes vulnerabilities in cancerous cells

Often mutated in cancer, the ATRX gene helps cells copy their DNA without damage. Crick scientists have uncovered new functions that leave ATRX-deficient cancer cells vulnerable.

crick.ac.uk

Excited to announce: the EMBO Workshop: DNA damage response in cell physiology & diseases - 12–16 Oct 2026 - in stunning Sounio, Greece - fabulous speaker speaker lineup representing the cutting-edge of genome stability research: Abstract deadline: 17 May meetings.embo.org/event/26-dna... Join us!

“T-loop Dynamics: Telomere Structure Shapes Cell Fate Decisions” is out now in @cp-trendscellbio.bsky.social . www.cell.com/trends/cell-... It was a pleasure to work on this with collaborator and friend @makotothayashi.bsky.social, whose insight was central to shaping the ideas in this review.

T-loop dynamics: telomere structure shapes cell fate decisions

Telomeres are nucleoprotein elements bound by shelterin that protect chromosome ends from DNA damage signalling and inappropriate repair. A defining architectural feature is the telomere loop (t-loop)...

cell.com

Today, we’re launching a new company, ALTx Therapeutics. Founded by Simon Boulton, the company will develop the first precision therapies targeting ALT cancers, in partnership with Slingshot Therapeutics Limited and @crhorizons.bsky.social. Find out more ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/news/2026-02...

Another great science appointment is coming up with @nitikataneja.bsky.social and @doksanilab.bsky.social! Join us live on Tuesday, February 3rd at 5pm (Rome) / 11am (NYC). Zoom link: uniroma1.zoom.us/j/95149984403 Register here to stay in the loop: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

We are excited to share that our latest work from the lab aimed at understanding how the tRNA nuclease SLFN11 is activated in response to DNA damage and replication stress has just been published in @natcellbio.nature.com! Open access link: www.nature.com/articles/s41... (1/9)

Our paper in Science is out! @souravagrawal.bsky.social, @rlynn.bsky.social, @susvirkar.bsky.social, and the rest of the team show human RPA is a telomerase processivity factor essential for telomere maintenance. This reshapes our thinking about telomerase regulation. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Human RPA is an essential telomerase processivity factor for maintaining telomeres

Telomerase counteracts telomere shortening by repeatedly adding DNA repeats to chromosome ends. We identified the replication protein A (RPA) heterotrimer as a telomerase processivity factor critical ...

science.org

Want to know how homologous recombination defects are caused upon loss of BRCA2? Check out our recent efforts in uncovering this phenomenon just out in Science! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

FIGNL1 inhibits homologous recombination in BRCA2 deficient cells by dissociating RAD51 filaments

Homologous recombination (HR) deficiency upon Breast Cancer Gene 2 (BRCA2) loss arises from defects in the formation of RAD51 nucleoprotein filaments. We demonstrate that loss of the anti-recombinase ...

science.org

What do the naked mole rat and bowhead whale (lives to ~200 years) have in common to explain their remarkable longevity? Enhanced DNA repair www.nature.com/articles/s41... erictopol.substack.com/p/a-long-awa...

Evidence for improved DNA repair in long-lived bowhead whale - Nature

Analysis of the longest-lived mammal, the bowhead whale, reveals an improved ability to repair DNA breaks, mediated by high levels of cold-inducible RNA-binding protein.  &nbs...

nature.com

Fantastic day of genome dynamics workshop at @cabimer.bsky.social, stimulating discussions and exciting science from across Spain and beyond in beautiful Sevilla! Thanks to all organisers for a great event 🧬

Cabimer@cabimer.bsky.social · 11mo ago

We are very happy with the GenomaHub @csic.es Workshop on "Genome dynamics from development to disease" held at our institute was a great success. Organized by @nestorgarciarod.bsky.social , @romangp.bsky.social , Cristina Gonzalez-Aguilera and Belén Gómez-González. Thanks to all the participants!

🧬 Preprint alert! "Distinct ATRX functions cooperate with 9-1-1 and CST complexes to safeguard replication and telomere integrity." Read the manuscript here 👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Distinct ATRX functions cooperate with 9-1-1 and CST complexes to safeguard replication and telomere integrity

Mutations in the ATRX chromatin remodeller predispose to a developmental genetic disorder and cancer, but how it safeguards genome and telomere stability remains unresolved. Here, we uncover critical ...

biorxiv.org

Are you interested in working on related projects? 🌱 The Knipscheer lab at the Hubrecht Institute (Utrecht, the Netherlands) has openings for a postdoc and a PhD position. Apply here: www.hubrecht.eu/jobs

@puckknipscheer.bsky.social · last yr.

Excited our paper is out! G-quadruplex (G4) unwinding via an intricate G-loop assembly and disassembly mechanism maintains genome integrity. Pioneered by Koichi Sato with great collaborators Jing Lyu and @simonelsasser.bsky.social Check it out: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr0493 🧵(1/4)

🚀 New preprint alert! We uncover SLFN11 as a molecular gatekeeper that restricts alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) by sensing telomere-associated replication stress and triggering apoptosis. 📄 Read the manuscript here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

SLFN11 restricts escape from telomere crisis to prevent alternative lengthening of telomeres

The tRNA nuclease SLFN11 is epigenetically silenced in ~50% of treatment-naive tumours and is the strongest predictor of chemoresistance but why it is frequently inactivated in cancer is unknown. To a...

biorxiv.org

Cytarabine has been the mainstay for AML treatment for over 50 years. This chemotherapy can lead to problems with movement and balance. Here we explain this neurotoxic side-effect. www.nature.com/articles/s41... Work led by Jia-Cheng Liu, Donpeng Wang and Elsa Callen and terrific collaborators!

Mechanism of cytarabine-induced neurotoxicity - Nature

Certain antimetabolites used to treat cancer are more neurotoxic than others, and it is now shown that this is due to their greater tendency to generate DNA double-stranded breaks, whereas less n...

nature.com

Excited our paper is out! G-quadruplex (G4) unwinding via an intricate G-loop assembly and disassembly mechanism maintains genome integrity. Pioneered by Koichi Sato with great collaborators Jing Lyu and @simonelsasser.bsky.social Check it out: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr0493 🧵(1/4)

RNA transcripts regulate G-quadruplex landscapes through G-loop formation

G-quadruplexes (G4s) are prevalent DNA structures that regulate transcription but also threaten genome stability. How G4 dynamics are controlled remains poorly understood. Here, we report that RNA tra...

science.org

Save de date! Join us at @cabimer.bsky.social on October 17th for the @GenomaHubCSIC Workshop in "Genome Dynamics in Development and Disease". Slots available for talks! Registration opens soon!!

Are you ready for the 2nd half of 2025? Social DNAing is ready. Check out the speaker list and schedule! Sign up at www.cancer.columbia.edu/research/pro...

Delighted to share that the results of my main postdoc project are now published in @nature.com 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Multigenerational cell tracking of DNA replication and heritable DNA damage - Nature

A multigenerational single-cell tracking approach provides a framework to dissect phenotypic plasticity at the single-cell level, offering insights into cellular processes that may resemble early even...

doi.org

Excited to share our new paper on Nature - how Ku accommodates Alu expansion in primates by binding to dsRNA, providing a clue for both the high levels of Ku and its essentiality in human cells. Thank @chaolinzhang @hchung03 @LenaSteckelberg More to come www.nature.com/articles/s41...

### PhD position alert ### Please repost! I'm excited to announce a new *PhD position* within our group. We are looking for a super-motivated candidate with a solid basis in wet- and dry-lab research. Apply now & make sure to include all docs! werkenbijprinsesmaximacentrum.nl/en/vacancy/p...

Excited to share our latest from my postdoc at @mskcancercenter.bsky.social in the Sfeir Lab, in collaboration with the Simon Powell Lab! We uncovered a novel genome repair mechanism in human cells: RNA-templated DNA double-strand break repair (RT-DSBR). (1/5)

Exciting seminar series from Genome integrity italian Network (GiiN), chaired by myself and Raffaella Di Micco! Short talks (2x30’), at convenient time for EU/USA attendees. Big shots and raising stars in an expanding field. See flyers + link to receive email alerts. Please repost to your network!👇

How do replisomes walk on DNA? And what happens when they run into a G-quadruplex? @sahilbatra.bsky.social and @benallwein.bsky.social provide unexpected insight in our latest paper with Richard Hite @mskcancercenter.bsky.social @science.org www.science.org/doi/10.1126/.... Congrats to all authors!

G-quadruplex–stalled eukaryotic replisome structure reveals helical inchworm DNA translocation

DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non–B-form DNA secondary structures that threaten genome stability by impeding DNA replication. To elucidate how G4s induce replication fork arrest, we characterized fork ...

science.org

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐍𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? Our new study “Disabling leading and lagging strand histone transmission results in parental histones loss and reduced cell plasticity and viability” is out in 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴. Led by @lleonie.bsky.social @biranalva.bsky.social 🧵 More below👇

Disabling leading and lagging strand histone transmission results in parental histones loss and reduced cell plasticity and viability

Losing parental histones during DNA replication fork passage challenges differentiation competence and cell viability.

tinyurl.com

Cells are filled with toxic stuff that damages healthy proteins. Is that garbage just left to rot on the curb? No way! Ubiquitin ligases have evolved to recognize chemical damage and clean it up! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

C-terminal amides mark proteins for degradation via SCF–FBXO31 - Nature

SCF–FBXO31 scans proteins for C-terminal amidation and marks them for subsequent proteasomal degradation.

nature.com

1/Delighted to announce the newest paper from our lab, “Homologous recombination promotes non-immunogenic mitotic cell death upon DNA damage”, is out today in @naturecellbiology.bsky.social, www.nature.com/articles/s41....

Homologous recombination promotes non-immunogenic mitotic cell death upon DNA damage - Nature Cell Biology

Szmyd et al. show that DNA repair pathways impact whether cells with DNA lesions arrest in mitosis. The formation of homologous recombination-driven double Holliday junctions elicits mitotic cell deat...

nature.com

Merry Boulton Lab Retreat! Great fun team building and going over some hot topics in DDR/chromatin/immune biology. Same again next year please! @mattdnewton.bsky.social @ssegurabayona.bsky.social @federicaraguseo.bsky.social @claralnovo.bsky.social

⚡️Now online⚡️: Our review on how ZAKa and #ribosomes regulate cell death when things go bad ☠️ 🧪 @cellpress.bsky.social @annaconstancevind.bsky.social 👏 ⬇️

Anna Constance Vind@annaconstancevind.bsky.social · 2y ago

✨ Our latest review is now online! ✨ Read about #ZAKa and #ribosomes roles in cell death triggered by: 1️⃣ Environmental and endogenous stressors 2️⃣ Plant and microbial toxins 3️⃣ Celluar pathways leading to self-inflicted ribotoxicity @bekkerjensenlab.bsky.social 🙏 👇 www.cell.com/trends/cell-...

The first paper from our lab is online! A wonderful collaboration with @scottbscience.bsky.social lab. We discover that Pol II is extensively regulated by Ubiquitin at the beginning of the transcription cycle! www.cell.com/molecular-ce...

CRL3ARMC5 ubiquitin ligase and Integrator phosphatase form parallel mechanisms to control early stages of RNA Pol II transcription

Cacioppo, Gillis, Shlamovitz, Zeller, et al. show that CRL3ARMC5 ubiquitylates RNA Pol II at early stages of transcription as part of a major homeostatic RNA Pol II turnover mechanism. CRL3ARMC5 and the Integrator phosphatase act as complementary pathways, monitoring the quantity and quality of RNA Pol II complexes before they are licensed into elongation.

cell.com