Jon Baxter

Explore SMC mechanism and regulation at EMBO Workshop "Threads of life: SMC complexes in #chromosome structure and dynamics" in #Bengaluru, IN, 13–18 Dec 2026.

Registration/Abstract submission by 1 Apr/1 May

https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-smc-complexes
#EMBOThreadsOfLife #genesky #EMBOevents 🧪

To kickstart this new Bluesky account: We're hiring!
The Bertolin Lab @dundee.ac.uk is looking for a postdoc to work on DNA-end homeostasis & genome stability, funded by Wellcome Trust Award. Exciting science, fantastic environment, founding role in the lab.
Details in the flyer — get in touch! 👇

NOW LIVE!: PhD opening joint with @drjonbaxter.bsky.social at @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social
Get in touch and apply if you are interested in any and all of: Chromosomes, Genome Stability, Chromatin and DNA Topology in Mitosis and Meiosis.
www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-f...

Happy to share our perspective on the DNA translocation mechanism by the CMG helicase.

DNA translocation by the CMG helicase: the helical inchworm model url: portlandpress.com/biochemsoctr...

a computer generated image of a dna structure ALT: a computer generated image of a dna structure

Coming soon! PhD opening joint with @drjonbaxter.bsky.social at @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social
Keep a look out and get in touch if you are interested in any and all of: Chromosomes, Genome Stability, Chromatin and DNA Topology in Mitosis and Meiosis.

Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community UKRI Chief Executive outlines changes to UKRI investment approach, addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC.

Hot off the press - a letter from the Exec Chair of @ukri.org explaining his plans and in particular the financial position of STFC. It notes curiosity driven research is protected and will make up around half of UKRI spend over the coming period
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...

Single-molecule landscape of DNA replication pausing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.14.670160v1

Condensin and topoisomerases cooperate to relieve topological stress at stalled replication forks Resolving complex topological structures at replication forks is vital for successful DNA replication, but the mechanisms are little understood. Evidence from diverse eukaryotes suggests that condensi...

New topology Pre-print from: @alengronne.bsky.social
Condensin and topoisomerases cooperate to relieve topological stress at stalled replication forks:
biorxiv.org/content/earl...

🧬 Check out our latest paper in the PRL: doi.org/10.1103/7fh5...

We use computer simulations and analytically solvable theory to study supercoiled DNA plasmids functionalized by pH-responsive groups. We show how charge annealing can reversibly switch the topological twist to writhe and vice versa.

So utterly honoured to have been recruited, mentored and supported by this incredibly influential individual. Long may he happily retire. @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social

Research Fellow in Cancer Research at University of Sussex An academic position as a Research Fellow in Cancer Research is being advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Click now to find more details and explore additional academic job opportunities.

📢 New Postdoc opportunity

🧬🧪🩸 Excited to share an MRC funded Research Fellow position is available in my lab @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social to investigate novel approaches to disrupt the function of fusion kinases and their regulation by the HSP90 molecular chaperone system in leukaemia.

Very exciting new technology manuscript from @alicepyne.bsky.social lab!
High-res AFM + AI pipeline quantifies complex DNA topology. t.co/qxD7o7ASl6
Very happy to contribute with @singlemoleculenev.bsky.social plasmids replicating past barriers in Xenopus egg extract.
Congratulation everyone!

TrAEL-seq captures DNA replication dynamics in mammalian cells https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.09.658559v1

The low endoribonuclease activity and lack of rNMP preference of human mitochondrial topoisomerase 1 protect against ribonucleotide-dependent deletions Abstract. The incorporation of ribonucleotides (rNMPs) into the nuclear genome leads to severe genomic instability, including strand breaks and short 2–5 b

Our newest paper on mitochondrial Topoisomerase 1 shows that Top1mt has only weak endoribonuclease activity and it therefore does not often generate deletions at incorporated ribonucleotides. This helps explain why ribonucleotides are tolerated in mtDNA. Read more:
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...

Most human DNA replication initiation is dispersed throughout the genome with only a minority within previously identified initiation zones - Genome Biology Background The identification of sites of DNA replication initiation in mammalian cells has been challenging. Here, we present unbiased detection of replication initiation events in human cells using ...

New paper! Most human DNA replication initiation is dispersed throughout the genome with only a minority within previously identified initiation zones

genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Identifying human DNA replication initiation sites on single molecules by @nanoporetech.com 1/7

YouTube video by Johan Gibcus Rules of Engagement

Earnshaw, Goloborodko, Dekker & Mirny labs are excited to present our latest work, "Rules of engagement for condensins and cohesins guide mitotic chromosome formation" - now accepted!!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A short clip describing the key results:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmvO...

Systematic study of hybrid triplex topology and stability suggests a general triplex-mediated regulatory mechanism Abstract. By combining in silico, biophysical, and in vitro experiments, we decipher the topology, physical, and potential biological properties of hybrid-

🚀 Happy to see our new paper in #NAR @narjournal.bsky.social ! 📜🔬 During my postdoc at @irbbarcelona.org , we systematically studied hybrid triplex topology and stability, suggesting a general triplex-mediated regulatory mechanism. 🧬✨ #TriplexDNA #GeneRegulation academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

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 ...

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!

Dear all,

Postdoc positions are available to work on (1) the role of DNA strand break repair proteins during DNA replication and (2) the molecular/structural biology of XRCC1 protein complexes, as part of our work on genetic diseases & cancer. Contact me if interested: k.w.caldecott@sussex.ac.uk

I have a funded PhD position in my lab in @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social (UK fees only).

This is an exciting new project using structural biology to investigate proteins involved in ovarian cancer, with opportunities for drug discovery and collaborations with clinicians. Application link below.

Regulation of DNA Topology in Archaea: State of the Art and Perspectives DNA topoisomerases are ubiquitous enzymes that play a crucial role in regulating DNA supercoiling which affects fundamental biological processes involving DNA. In this review, we summarize the curren...

New Review: DNA topoisomerase in Archaea; from Paul Villain and Tamara Basta...featured in a forthcoming special issue on Prokaryotic Chromosome Organization!
#MicroSky

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

DNA topology and topoisomerases in genome dynamics Topoisomerases are crucial enzymes that ensure genome stability and cell survival. Although topoisomerases were discovered 50 years ago and their impact on DNA supercoiling has been studied since the…

EMBO Workshop –
DNA topology and topoisomerases in genome dynamics.
15-19 September 2025 Szklarska Poręba, Poland
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Interested in attending? Visit the website:
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dna...
Register by: 15 March 2025

If you're interested in chromosome biology (DNA folding, gene regulation, replication, polymer modelling and more) we're organising the below this autumn. It'd be great to see you there. Please share if you can. :-)

DNA supercoiling modulates eukaryotic transcription in a gene-orientation dependent manner https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.03.631213v1

I guess I told you about the fact that SMC proteins like cohesin and condensin are a novel class of molecular motors that make loops into DNA (something we visualized first in 2018). These DNA loops are the fundamental motif that organize our chromosomes.

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The one time @theguardian.com could rightly use a left-handed DNA image... and they choose right-handed 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️
@iansample.bsky.social

Latest #CDlab paper in Nucleic Acid Research:
academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

Great work by Alejandro Martin-Gonzalez,
@tismaa.bsky.social ea collaboring with @gruberlab.bsky.social, showing the interplay of DNA supercoiling & ParB condensation, 2 processes that set bacterial genome organization.

We’ve been using phase lock tubes to streamline phenol-chloroform extractions. Unfortunately they’ve been discontinued everywhere we’ve looked. We recently tried Molykote (vacuum grease with intermediate density compared to aqueous and organic phases) with great results. Also much cheaper.

#Chromothripsis leads to the acquisition of multiple genomic aberrations.

Now out in Nat Rev Cancer:

1) A #Review from Simovic-Lorenz & Aurelie Ernst, @dkfz.bsky.social, covering mechanistic models of chromothripsis & its role in cancer and progression.

👉 bit.ly/4fy8pFo

Origins and impact of extrachromosomal DNA - Nature A study examines the diversity of extrachromosomal DNA elements in cancer, and provides details on the frequency and origin of extrachromosomal DNA and its role in the development of different types o...

www.nature.com/articles/s41...