Chad Whilding

Individual mouse mitotic chromosomes exhibit cell type-specific differences in biomechanical properties

The paper shows that mouse metaphase chromosomes from different cell types have distinct biomechanical properties, with ESC-derived chromosomes showing conserved force-dependent responses but differing from those of NSCs and preB cells.

Chromatin is dispensable for bacterial life

This study deletes nine NAPs from E. coli to create a strain lacking native chromatin, revealing gene expression homogenization and demonstrating that bacterial life can proceed without chromatin proteins.

Multimodal imaging reveals a lysosomal drug reservoir that drives heterogeneous distribution of PARP inhibitors

The paper uses multimodal imaging to show that lysosomes act as a reservoir for PARP inhibitors, leading to heterogeneous drug distribution and response in ovarian cancer.

Global re-organisation of genome architecture at the transition to gametogenesis

This study reveals a unique 3D genome architecture in premeiotic gonadal germ cells, linked to epigenetic reprogramming and loss of TADs, alongside DNA demethylation.

PBK/TOPK mediates Ikaros, Aiolos and CTCF displacement from mitotic chromosomes and alters chromatin accessibility at selected C2H2-zinc finger protein binding sites

The paper shows PBK/TOPK phosphorylates Ikaros, Aiolos, and CTCF to displace them from mitotic chromosomes, altering chromatin accessibility at specific zinc finger protein sites.

Loss of H3K9 tri-methylation alters chromosome compaction and transcription factor retention during mitosis

The paper shows that loss of H3K9 tri-methylation leads to smaller, more compact mitotic chromosomes and altered transcription factor retention.

Reliance of neuronal gene expression on cohesin scales with chromatin loop length

The paper shows that cohesin's role in neuronal gene expression depends on chromatin loop length, with longer loops requiring cohesin for full gene expression.

Nucleolar-based Dux repression is essential for 2-cell stage exit

This study shows that nucleolar maturation and rRNA synthesis are required to repress Dux and exit the 2-cell stage in embryos.

A signalling axis involving CNOT3, Aurora B and ERK promotes differentiation and survival of mesendodermal progenitor cells

Size-dependent increase in RNA Polymerase II initiation rates mediates gene expression scaling with cell size

The paper investigates how RNA Polymerase II initiation rates scale with cell size in fission yeast, showing that RNAPII is a limiting factor for transcriptional scaling.