Mauro Modesti

Molecular characterization of MRI/CYREN reveals the Ku binding mode and the role of multimerization in stimulating the activity of NHEJ in DNA repair

This study characterizes MRI/CYREN's structure and function in NHEJ, showing its disordered regions bind Ku80 and multimerization enhances DNA repair efficiency.

Scaling the Dynamics of Coiled Coils

This study uses HS-AFM to visualize coiled coil dynamics in MR complexes, revealing power-law scaling and long relaxation times due to internal friction.

Structural basis for continuous DNA-end protection during ligation of double-strand breaks in yeast Non-Homologous End-Joining

This study presents cryo-EM structures of yeast NHEJ complexes, revealing mechanisms for DNA-end protection and ligation without DNA-PKcs.

Near equilibrium unbinding of streptavidin/biotin using single molecule acoustic force spectroscopy.

This study uses acoustic force spectroscopy to measure streptavidin-biotin bond dissociation rates near equilibrium, aligning with bulk measurements and expanding the dynamic range of single molecule force spectroscopy.

The RecBC complex protects single-stranded DNA gaps during lesion bypass

The paper shows that the RecBC complex protects nascent DNA from degradation by ExoI during lesion bypass, ensuring efficient repair of single-stranded DNA gaps.

Ku suppresses RNA-mediated innate immune responses in human cells to accommodate primate-specific Alu expansion.

The paper shows Ku suppresses RNA-mediated innate immune responses in human cells, enabling primate-specific Alu element expansion by reducing dsRNA-induced inflammation.

The KU70-SAP domain has an overlapping function with DNA-PKcs in limiting the lateral movement of KU along DNA

This study identifies the SAP domain of Ku70 as limiting KU lateral movement on DNA, with DNA-PKcs partially masking this function in NHEJ.

CRISPR-dependent base editing screens identify separation of function mutants of RADX with altered RAD51 regulatory activity

The paper identifies RADX separation of function mutants using CRISPR base editing screens, showing reduced RAD51 ATP hydrolysis activity and replication defects.

Distinct pathways of homologous recombination controlled by the SWS1-SWSAP1-SPIDR complex

This study identifies the SWS1-SWSAP1-SPIDR complex as a regulator of distinct homologous recombination pathways, with specific roles in inter-homolog HDR and cancer-related genomic instability.