Peter Ly
@peterlylab.bsky.social
Genome Integrity Lab | Assistant Professor, Children's Research Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center. We study how chromosomes segregate, break, and rearrange.
www.thelylab.org
www.thelylab.org
Reposted by Peter Ly
Excited to share our new Nature study! 🧬
We (sidrituruci.bsky.social et al) discovered that CFAP20 helps clear stalled RNAPII, preventing harmful clashes with DNA replication machinery. This protects cells from R-loops and genome instability.
Full paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We (sidrituruci.bsky.social et al) discovered that CFAP20 helps clear stalled RNAPII, preventing harmful clashes with DNA replication machinery. This protects cells from R-loops and genome instability.
Full paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
January 15, 2026 at 7:45 AM
Excited to share our new Nature study! 🧬
We (sidrituruci.bsky.social et al) discovered that CFAP20 helps clear stalled RNAPII, preventing harmful clashes with DNA replication machinery. This protects cells from R-loops and genome instability.
Full paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We (sidrituruci.bsky.social et al) discovered that CFAP20 helps clear stalled RNAPII, preventing harmful clashes with DNA replication machinery. This protects cells from R-loops and genome instability.
Full paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Human eggs must segregate their chromosomes with exquisite precision — yet errors rise with maternal age, causing miscarriage & infertility.
Our new article on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social shows why chromosome cohesion fails in aging eggs & how to improve it.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... (1/10)
Our new article on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social shows why chromosome cohesion fails in aging eggs & how to improve it.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... (1/10)
January 12, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Human eggs must segregate their chromosomes with exquisite precision — yet errors rise with maternal age, causing miscarriage & infertility.
Our new article on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social shows why chromosome cohesion fails in aging eggs & how to improve it.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... (1/10)
Our new article on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social shows why chromosome cohesion fails in aging eggs & how to improve it.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... (1/10)
Reposted by Peter Ly
We are excited to share that our latest work from the lab aimed at understanding how the tRNA nuclease SLFN11 is activated in response to DNA damage and replication stress has just been published in @natcellbio.nature.com!
Open access link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/9)
Open access link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/9)
Client Challenge
www.nature.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:42 PM
We are excited to share that our latest work from the lab aimed at understanding how the tRNA nuclease SLFN11 is activated in response to DNA damage and replication stress has just been published in @natcellbio.nature.com!
Open access link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/9)
Open access link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
(1/9)
Reposted by Peter Ly
🐭 In vivo veritas 🐭
Now out in Nature Genetics: @josjonkers.bsky.social and I describe currently available mouse models of BRCA1/2 and their roles in understanding BRCA1/2 biology, particularly in normal development, tumor suppression and therapy response.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Now out in Nature Genetics: @josjonkers.bsky.social and I describe currently available mouse models of BRCA1/2 and their roles in understanding BRCA1/2 biology, particularly in normal development, tumor suppression and therapy response.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Insights from three decades of BRCA1/2 modeling in mice - Nature Genetics
This Perspective highlights the insights into the biology of BRCA1/2 afforded by mouse models and patient-derived tumor xenografts and emphasizes their value in addressing unresolved questions and pre...
www.nature.com
January 6, 2026 at 12:30 PM
🐭 In vivo veritas 🐭
Now out in Nature Genetics: @josjonkers.bsky.social and I describe currently available mouse models of BRCA1/2 and their roles in understanding BRCA1/2 biology, particularly in normal development, tumor suppression and therapy response.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Now out in Nature Genetics: @josjonkers.bsky.social and I describe currently available mouse models of BRCA1/2 and their roles in understanding BRCA1/2 biology, particularly in normal development, tumor suppression and therapy response.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Peter Ly
SMC and recombination enthusiasts: we updated our work describing the loop extrusion properties of budding yeast condensin and its function in biasing donor usage for mating-type switching. Lots of cool new data, check it out!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
January 6, 2026 at 6:58 AM
SMC and recombination enthusiasts: we updated our work describing the loop extrusion properties of budding yeast condensin and its function in biasing donor usage for mating-type switching. Lots of cool new data, check it out!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Reposted by Peter Ly
Excited to announce a new review article that Andreas Villunger @villungerlab.bsky.social, Dario Rizzotto (not on bsky) and I wrote. In this article, we discuss mitosis as a central cell cycle stage for integrating DNA damage, cell death and inflammatory responses. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mitotic errors as triggers of cell death and inflammation - Nature Cell Biology
Rizzotto et al. discuss the causes and consequences of deregulated mitosis that allow cells arrested in mitosis to escape to the next interphase, where they can initiate inflammatory signalling or und...
www.nature.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Excited to announce a new review article that Andreas Villunger @villungerlab.bsky.social, Dario Rizzotto (not on bsky) and I wrote. In this article, we discuss mitosis as a central cell cycle stage for integrating DNA damage, cell death and inflammatory responses. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Introducing Cyclically Multiplexed Expansion Microscopy (Cy-ExM): a workflow for 3D nanoscale, high-plex imaging in whole cells. Cryo-preserved ultrastructure + iterative labeling + expansion microscopy → 20 targets in one dataset with ~70 nm lateral resolution.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
January 2, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Introducing Cyclically Multiplexed Expansion Microscopy (Cy-ExM): a workflow for 3D nanoscale, high-plex imaging in whole cells. Cryo-preserved ultrastructure + iterative labeling + expansion microscopy → 20 targets in one dataset with ~70 nm lateral resolution.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Happy to share our new review on 3D chromatin organisation by cohesin with you. It was a great pleasure to review recent advances and future prospects with @danielgerlich.bsky.social.
New Online! Organization of replicated chromosomes by DNA loops and sister chromatid cohesion
Organization of replicated chromosomes by DNA loops and sister chromatid cohesion
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, Published online: 02 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41580-025-00933-1Cohesin complexes regulate genome architecture through DNA loop extrusion and sister chromatid cohesion. The Review discusses how these two cohesin activities mediate the organization of replicated chromosomes and their segregation in mitosis and meiosis, DNA break repair, and age-related aneuploidy in oocytes.
bit.ly
January 2, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Happy to share our new review on 3D chromatin organisation by cohesin with you. It was a great pleasure to review recent advances and future prospects with @danielgerlich.bsky.social.
Reposted by Peter Ly
Happy to share that my postdoc work with @jobdekker.bsky.social is out!
rdcu.be/eWHD2
We characterize interphase chromatin folding programs with distinct modes of mitotic inheritance and identify the chromosome-intrinsic capacity to form a microcompartment of active CREs during mitotic exit.
rdcu.be/eWHD2
We characterize interphase chromatin folding programs with distinct modes of mitotic inheritance and identify the chromosome-intrinsic capacity to form a microcompartment of active CREs during mitotic exit.
Interphase chromosome conformation is specified by distinct folding programmes inherited through mitotic chromosomes or the cytoplasm
Nature Cell Biology - Schooley et al. find that mitotically bookmarked loci drive a transient chromosome folding state during G1 entry that is subsequently modulated by factors inherited through...
rdcu.be
December 29, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Happy to share that my postdoc work with @jobdekker.bsky.social is out!
rdcu.be/eWHD2
We characterize interphase chromatin folding programs with distinct modes of mitotic inheritance and identify the chromosome-intrinsic capacity to form a microcompartment of active CREs during mitotic exit.
rdcu.be/eWHD2
We characterize interphase chromatin folding programs with distinct modes of mitotic inheritance and identify the chromosome-intrinsic capacity to form a microcompartment of active CREs during mitotic exit.
Reposted by Peter Ly
A major output of the 4D Nucleome project appeared today. This is the joint effort of many scientists working together and (publicly) sharing data and results for several years. We hope this is of interest to many genome biologists!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An integrated view of the structure and function of the human 4D nucleome - Nature
The 4D Nucleome Project demonstrates the use of genomic assays and computational methods to measure genome folding and then predict genomic structure from DNA sequence, facilitatin...
www.nature.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:59 PM
A major output of the 4D Nucleome project appeared today. This is the joint effort of many scientists working together and (publicly) sharing data and results for several years. We hope this is of interest to many genome biologists!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Absolutely thrilled to share the latest work from my lab focused on the variation and evolution of human centromeres among global populations! We assembled 2,110 human centromeres, identifying 226 new major haplotypes and 1,870 α-satellite HOR variants. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
December 16, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Absolutely thrilled to share the latest work from my lab focused on the variation and evolution of human centromeres among global populations! We assembled 2,110 human centromeres, identifying 226 new major haplotypes and 1,870 α-satellite HOR variants. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Our latest paper on the molecular mechanisms of XPF-ERCC1 recruitment to SLX4-dependent DNA repair pathways has been published! Congratulations to first author Junjie Feng, and a heartfelt thank you to all our collaborators for their contributions to this study!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
December 16, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Our latest paper on the molecular mechanisms of XPF-ERCC1 recruitment to SLX4-dependent DNA repair pathways has been published! Congratulations to first author Junjie Feng, and a heartfelt thank you to all our collaborators for their contributions to this study!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Thrilled to share that my postdoc research is published today in @science.org! We found that DNA repair uses cohesin complexes to build new chromatin loops that guide the homology search and boost accurate repair! 1/n
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Cohesin drives chromatin scanning during the RAD51-mediated homology search
Cohesin folds genomes into chromatin loops, the roles of which are under debate. We found that double-strand breaks (DSBs) induce de novo formation of chromatin loops in human cells, with the loop bas...
www.science.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Thrilled to share that my postdoc research is published today in @science.org! We found that DNA repair uses cohesin complexes to build new chromatin loops that guide the homology search and boost accurate repair! 1/n
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Peter Ly
I am happy to share that my postdoctoral work in the @gerlichlab.bsky.social at @imbavienna.bsky.social is finally out 🎉!
Our study reveals how cohesin guides focused and accurate homology search.
Read more 👉 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Follow along for key insights and updates! 🧵
Our study reveals how cohesin guides focused and accurate homology search.
Read more 👉 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Follow along for key insights and updates! 🧵
Cohesin guides homology search during DNA repair using loops and sister chromatid linkages
Accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is essential for genome stability, and defective repair underlies diseases such as cancer. Homologous recombination uses an intact homologous sequenc...
www.science.org
December 4, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I am happy to share that my postdoctoral work in the @gerlichlab.bsky.social at @imbavienna.bsky.social is finally out 🎉!
Our study reveals how cohesin guides focused and accurate homology search.
Read more 👉 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Follow along for key insights and updates! 🧵
Our study reveals how cohesin guides focused and accurate homology search.
Read more 👉 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Follow along for key insights and updates! 🧵
Reposted by Peter Ly
A key step towards human genome synthesis. With thanks to @wellcometrust.bsky.social @mrclmb.bsky.social #SynHG doi.org/10.1126/scie...
High-fidelity human chromosome transfer and elimination
The synthesis of human genomes and other gigabase-scale genomes will require new strategies. Here, we realized key steps in our pipeline for building synthetic human chromosomes. We established: (i) t...
doi.org
December 4, 2025 at 7:27 PM
A key step towards human genome synthesis. With thanks to @wellcometrust.bsky.social @mrclmb.bsky.social #SynHG doi.org/10.1126/scie...
Reposted by Peter Ly
📢 New preprint out!
We are thrilled to introduce our framework to track #ongoingCIN by leveraging single-cell genomics and CIN signatures:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We are thrilled to introduce our framework to track #ongoingCIN by leveraging single-cell genomics and CIN signatures:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Tracking ongoing chromosomal instability using single-cell whole-genome sequencing
Chromosomal instability (CIN) generates aneuploid genomes that are characteristic of most cancers. While bulk genome sequencing reveals historical CIN, it lacks the resolution to identify ongoing CIN ...
www.biorxiv.org
November 28, 2025 at 1:07 PM
📢 New preprint out!
We are thrilled to introduce our framework to track #ongoingCIN by leveraging single-cell genomics and CIN signatures:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We are thrilled to introduce our framework to track #ongoingCIN by leveraging single-cell genomics and CIN signatures:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
If you’re interested in aneuploidy, mark your calendar! The FASEB SRC on the Consequences of Aneuploidy will be held Sept 28 - Oct 1, 2026 in Melbourne, Florida. Many speaking slots are reserved for early-career researchers. Please help spread the word!
events.faseb.org/event/Aneupl...
events.faseb.org/event/Aneupl...
December 2, 2025 at 9:43 PM
If you’re interested in aneuploidy, mark your calendar! The FASEB SRC on the Consequences of Aneuploidy will be held Sept 28 - Oct 1, 2026 in Melbourne, Florida. Many speaking slots are reserved for early-career researchers. Please help spread the word!
events.faseb.org/event/Aneupl...
events.faseb.org/event/Aneupl...
Reposted by Peter Ly
TODAY! Don’t miss it! 👇
In a few days we'll have our last appointment (for this year) with great virtual talks via the GiiN. Please note in agenda and join us with a click! 👇
December 2, 2025 at 7:29 AM
TODAY! Don’t miss it! 👇
Reposted by Peter Ly
New lab preprint! ERCC6L2 disease is a recessive bone marrow failure syndrome caused by mutations in the putative DNA helicase ERCC6L2. Using mouse genetics, biochemistry and AF3 we uncover ERCC6L2-MRI as a KU-regulatory complex stimulating NHEJ at staggered DSBs: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The ERCC6L2-MRI-KU complex coordinates NHEJ at staggered DNA double-strand breaks
ERCC6L2 disease is a recessive bone marrow failure (BMF) syndrome caused by mutations in the SNF2-like putative DNA helicase ERCC6L2. While implicated in DNA replication, double strand break (DSB) rep...
www.biorxiv.org
December 1, 2025 at 9:28 PM
New lab preprint! ERCC6L2 disease is a recessive bone marrow failure syndrome caused by mutations in the putative DNA helicase ERCC6L2. Using mouse genetics, biochemistry and AF3 we uncover ERCC6L2-MRI as a KU-regulatory complex stimulating NHEJ at staggered DSBs: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Peter Ly
How to keep in step when your (protein) partner speeds up…
Here we investigated the adaptive remodeling of a protein-protein interaction surface essential for telomere protection.
Congrats to whole team!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Here we investigated the adaptive remodeling of a protein-protein interaction surface essential for telomere protection.
Congrats to whole team!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Rapid compensatory evolution within a multiprotein complex preserves telomere integrity
Intragenomic conflict with selfish genetic elements spurs adaptive changes in subunits of essential multiprotein complexes. Whether and how these adaptive changes disrupt interactions within such comp...
www.science.org
November 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
How to keep in step when your (protein) partner speeds up…
Here we investigated the adaptive remodeling of a protein-protein interaction surface essential for telomere protection.
Congrats to whole team!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Here we investigated the adaptive remodeling of a protein-protein interaction surface essential for telomere protection.
Congrats to whole team!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Very proud to have our latest work now online in
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Heterochromatin boundaries maintain centromere position, size and number - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Carty et al. identify the H3K9 methyltransferases that restrict the size and position of the centromere protein A chromatin domain, maintaining functional centromeres.
www.nature.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Very proud to have our latest work now online in
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Peter Ly
Join us next Tuesday, December 2 at 5pm (Rome) / 11am (NYC) for an exciting GIIN webinar featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social!
Zoom link: uniroma1.zoom.us/j/95149984403
Register here to become part of our community: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Zoom link: uniroma1.zoom.us/j/95149984403
Register here to become part of our community: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
November 27, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Join us next Tuesday, December 2 at 5pm (Rome) / 11am (NYC) for an exciting GIIN webinar featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social!
Zoom link: uniroma1.zoom.us/j/95149984403
Register here to become part of our community: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Zoom link: uniroma1.zoom.us/j/95149984403
Register here to become part of our community: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Peter Ly
🚨 Check out our latest article! 🚨
Spoiler: when NHEJ is out, polymerase theta steps in to fix persistent G1-phase breaks during the next S phase — not in mitosis! And for our fellow B cell fans, we explore how Pol θ contributes to immunoglobulin class switching.
@natcomms.nature.com
rdcu.be/eRTSe
Spoiler: when NHEJ is out, polymerase theta steps in to fix persistent G1-phase breaks during the next S phase — not in mitosis! And for our fellow B cell fans, we explore how Pol θ contributes to immunoglobulin class switching.
@natcomms.nature.com
rdcu.be/eRTSe
Polymerase theta repairs persistent G1-induced DNA breaks in S-phase during class switch recombination
Nature Communications - NHEJ is the primary repair pathway during class switch recombination. Here the authors show that in absence of NHEJ, Pol θ repairs persistent G1-induced breaks in...
rdcu.be
November 26, 2025 at 3:50 PM
🚨 Check out our latest article! 🚨
Spoiler: when NHEJ is out, polymerase theta steps in to fix persistent G1-phase breaks during the next S phase — not in mitosis! And for our fellow B cell fans, we explore how Pol θ contributes to immunoglobulin class switching.
@natcomms.nature.com
rdcu.be/eRTSe
Spoiler: when NHEJ is out, polymerase theta steps in to fix persistent G1-phase breaks during the next S phase — not in mitosis! And for our fellow B cell fans, we explore how Pol θ contributes to immunoglobulin class switching.
@natcomms.nature.com
rdcu.be/eRTSe
Reposted by Peter Ly
How do new centromeres evolve while staying compatible with the division machinery?
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
November 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
How do new centromeres evolve while staying compatible with the division machinery?
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1