Ben E. Black

Short UG-rich RNAs bind and stabilize TDP-43 RNA-recognition motifs to allosterically destabilize its prion-like domain helical region, preventing aggregation and mitigating neurodegeneration in cells and mice.

This paper describes the creation of a 2 Mb human artificial chromosome (HAC) using a protein-only centromere seeding approach that bypasses genetic engineering of target cells.

This paper describes a method to rapidly assemble functional modules for human artificial chromosomes (HACs) that can be seeded with epigenetic centromere components.

The paper shows a population-specific PARP1 gene variant enhances the efficacy and toxicity of the PARPi drug talazoparib by altering its mechanism of action.

The paper analyzes young KRAB-zinc finger gene clusters in mice, showing ERVs drive genetic heterogeneity through recombination and duplication mechanisms.

The paper shows maternal CENP-C restores centromere symmetry in zygotes by asymmetrically recruiting to paternal centromeres, ensuring proper chromosome segregation.

This study compares conventional and CENP-A nucleosomes using high-pressure SAXS, revealing differences in their conformational stability and response to pressure.

This study identifies structural differences in PARP1 and PARP2 activation mechanisms, showing that PARP2 requires an active site alpha-helix to be unfolded for DNA damage-induced activation, unlike PARP1.

The paper uses cryo-ET to reveal the architecture of centromeric chromatin clearings and their role in kinetochore formation and amplification.

This paper describes a method to efficiently form single-copy human artificial chromosomes by using a large construct and yeast spheroplast fusion to avoid multimerization.

The paper describes a novel centromere structure in the mouse species Mus pahari, characterized by a divergent repeat and unique CENP-B recruitment, enabling high-fidelity segregation during cell division.

The paper tracks CENP-A dynamics in mouse gametes and embryos, showing sex-specific differences in centromere maintenance and equalization during early development.