Chromosome stability and dynamics in the Lukas Group

“Our approach is to combine advanced light microscopy with genetic screens and biochemical analysis of PTMs to  identify proteins that guard the integrity of the human genome and to visualize the dynamics of these reactions in their physiological environment,” says Professor and Group Leader Jiri Lukas.

Indeed, the focus on quantitative imaging of genome caretakers, including tracking of their dynamic behaviour across several consecutive cell cycles have been a major source of discoveries and technological innovations in the Lukas group. These findings generated influential insights into how malfunctions of spatio-temporal regulation of genome integrity maintenance triggers and fuels cancer evolution.

 “Through our focus on physiological end-points of genome maintenance and the role of protein dynamics in this regulation, we hope to provide a conceptual ‘melting pot’ of multiple activities across CPR and spearhead collaborations among research programs” continues Jiri Lukas.

Discovery that chromatin architecture around DNA breaks is not a passive bystander of repair events but an and active regulator, which through stabilizing topological integrity of chromatin near the DNA lesions lays down a physical foundation for repair fidelity. Read about the finding .

Identification of redox-controlled adjustment of DNA replication speed as the first-in-line molecular surveillance of replicating genomes.  

Mechanistic explanation of how histone ubiquitylation fosters fidelity of homology-directed DNA repair.

Discovery of RPA as a rate-limiting guardian of replicating genomes and a ‘molecular addiction’ of cancer cells that proliferate under increased replication stress.

List of publications by Jiri Lukas