Diedre Reitz
@diedrereitz.bsky.social
Homologous recombination & genome stability • Studying how structural variants involving repeats (LINEs, Alus) form & impact on human health • K99 Postdoc Fellow, Heyer Lab @UCDavis • PhD, Bishop Lab @UChicago • she/her
More/contact: https://reitzdf.com/
More/contact: https://reitzdf.com/
Pinned
Diedre Reitz
@diedrereitz.bsky.social
· Jul 30
Two MMG rising academic stars, Diedre Reitz and Yuka Kitamura
Congratulations to Diedre Reitz and Yuka Kitamura, postdoctoral fellows in the Heyer and Namekawa laboratories, respectively, for being awarded prestigious K99 grants from the National Institutes of H...
mmg.ucdavis.edu
Very happy to share that I’ve been awarded a K99 Career Development Award from NIGMS for my work on MSH2-MSH6 and its role in recombination-mediated rearrangements.
Big thanks to my mentor, Wolf Heyer, co-mentor, Megan Dennis, letter writers, and colleagues.
mmg.ucdavis.edu/news/two-mmg...
Big thanks to my mentor, Wolf Heyer, co-mentor, Megan Dennis, letter writers, and colleagues.
mmg.ucdavis.edu/news/two-mmg...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
#Yeast RNase H1 responds to unscheduled, stress-inducing #RNA-DNAhybrids. Overexpressed Rnh1 leaves wt cells unaffected, but clears dysregulated RNA–DNA hybrids in mutants and promotes #DNAreplication at transcription-replication conflict sites. Read more:
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/S1...
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/S1...
December 5, 2025 at 12:58 AM
#Yeast RNase H1 responds to unscheduled, stress-inducing #RNA-DNAhybrids. Overexpressed Rnh1 leaves wt cells unaffected, but clears dysregulated RNA–DNA hybrids in mutants and promotes #DNAreplication at transcription-replication conflict sites. Read more:
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/S1...
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/S1...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
🚨 New Science paper from the Gerlich lab!
The team shows how cohesin helps broken DNA find the right template: by opening local DNA loops to shrink the search area and by keeping the damaged strand close to its sister copy: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw0566
The team shows how cohesin helps broken DNA find the right template: by opening local DNA loops to shrink the search area and by keeping the damaged strand close to its sister copy: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw0566
December 4, 2025 at 7:18 PM
🚨 New Science paper from the Gerlich lab!
The team shows how cohesin helps broken DNA find the right template: by opening local DNA loops to shrink the search area and by keeping the damaged strand close to its sister copy: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw0566
The team shows how cohesin helps broken DNA find the right template: by opening local DNA loops to shrink the search area and by keeping the damaged strand close to its sister copy: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw0566
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
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 Diedre Reitz
I am very pleased to see our work, in which we describe a mutational hotspot at transcription start sites in the human germline, out:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
Transcription start sites experience a high influx of heritable variants fueled by early development - Nature Communications
The impact of transcription on germline mutagenesis remains poorly understood. Here, the authors identify a mutational hotspot at transcription start sites in the human germline that is significantly ...
www.nature.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
I am very pleased to see our work, in which we describe a mutational hotspot at transcription start sites in the human germline, out:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Great work from @castellanoed.bsky.social, @vseplyarskiy.bsky.social, Miguel Cortés Guzmán and Clàudia Serrano Colomé!
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
What controls expansion & contraction of DNA repeats (e.g. Huntington's)? We were thrilled to collaborate w/ the lab of Marta Olejniczak to find out. Check out the cool screen from @sebasiegner.bsky.social and @matthiasmuhar.bsky.social that reads out repeat sequence. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:09 AM
What controls expansion & contraction of DNA repeats (e.g. Huntington's)? We were thrilled to collaborate w/ the lab of Marta Olejniczak to find out. Check out the cool screen from @sebasiegner.bsky.social and @matthiasmuhar.bsky.social that reads out repeat sequence. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in Lynch Syndrome
We demonstrate a high adenoma burden with distinct phenotypic and gene-specific characteristics in a UK LS population undergoing high quality surveillance
fg.bmj.com/content/earl...
We demonstrate a high adenoma burden with distinct phenotypic and gene-specific characteristics in a UK LS population undergoing high quality surveillance
fg.bmj.com/content/earl...
fg.bmj.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in Lynch Syndrome
We demonstrate a high adenoma burden with distinct phenotypic and gene-specific characteristics in a UK LS population undergoing high quality surveillance
fg.bmj.com/content/earl...
We demonstrate a high adenoma burden with distinct phenotypic and gene-specific characteristics in a UK LS population undergoing high quality surveillance
fg.bmj.com/content/earl...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
New study from the lab on genetic relationship between 53BP1-RIF1 and DNA-PKcs on DSB repair outcomes. Led by PhD student @kaelamakins.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
53BP1-RIF1 and DNA-PKcs show distinct genetic interactions with diverse chromosomal break repair outcomes - Nature Communications
DNA double strand breaks can be repaired by several pathways leading to different genetic outcomes. Here, the authors define the interplay between the DNA damage response factors 53BP1-RIF1 and core n...
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:10 PM
New study from the lab on genetic relationship between 53BP1-RIF1 and DNA-PKcs on DSB repair outcomes. Led by PhD student @kaelamakins.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Looking forward to reading this recent Mol Cell paper from Maria Jasin’s lab on the role of homologous recombination in loss of heterozygosity (LOH) after hearing her talk about it at the @ucdaviscancer.bsky.social Annual Symposium as the Basic Science Keynote address!
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Megabase-scale loss of heterozygosity provoked by CRISPR-Cas9 DNA double-strand breaks
Regan et al. report that Cas9 double-strand breaks (DSBs) induce loss of heterozygosity
(LOH) spanning megabases, which is suppressed by both the non-homologous and microhomology-mediated
end-joining ...
www.cell.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Looking forward to reading this recent Mol Cell paper from Maria Jasin’s lab on the role of homologous recombination in loss of heterozygosity (LOH) after hearing her talk about it at the @ucdaviscancer.bsky.social Annual Symposium as the Basic Science Keynote address!
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Long-read genome sequencing is new first-tier generic test in diagnostics of rare diseases
So satisfying to see a long journey end in best-possible diagnostic test for patients with rare diseases @radboudumc.bsky.social.
www.radboudumc.nl/en/news-item...
(1/n)
So satisfying to see a long journey end in best-possible diagnostic test for patients with rare diseases @radboudumc.bsky.social.
www.radboudumc.nl/en/news-item...
(1/n)
World first: Radboudumc pioneers new genetic test in clinical practice - New test is faster, more efficient, and provides more diagnoses for rare diseases
17 November 2025
www.radboudumc.nl
November 17, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Long-read genome sequencing is new first-tier generic test in diagnostics of rare diseases
So satisfying to see a long journey end in best-possible diagnostic test for patients with rare diseases @radboudumc.bsky.social.
www.radboudumc.nl/en/news-item...
(1/n)
So satisfying to see a long journey end in best-possible diagnostic test for patients with rare diseases @radboudumc.bsky.social.
www.radboudumc.nl/en/news-item...
(1/n)
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Finally! We have a FANCM:RMI inhibitor that is cell active and specifically kills ALT+ cancer cells 🎯
@yuhenglau.bsky.social + my labs just published the first cell-active peptide inhibitors of this critical target in 10-15% of cancers. doi.org/10.1021/acs....
@yuhenglau.bsky.social + my labs just published the first cell-active peptide inhibitors of this critical target in 10-15% of cancers. doi.org/10.1021/acs....
November 17, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Finally! We have a FANCM:RMI inhibitor that is cell active and specifically kills ALT+ cancer cells 🎯
@yuhenglau.bsky.social + my labs just published the first cell-active peptide inhibitors of this critical target in 10-15% of cancers. doi.org/10.1021/acs....
@yuhenglau.bsky.social + my labs just published the first cell-active peptide inhibitors of this critical target in 10-15% of cancers. doi.org/10.1021/acs....
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Using #yeast, Yu et al show templated insertions at double-strand breaks in cancers arise from foldback mechanism involving microhomologies. Lack of RPA may drive this process, shedding light on cancer's genetic instability #CancerResearch #Genetics #DNARepair
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/39...
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/39...
November 13, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Using #yeast, Yu et al show templated insertions at double-strand breaks in cancers arise from foldback mechanism involving microhomologies. Lack of RPA may drive this process, shedding light on cancer's genetic instability #CancerResearch #Genetics #DNARepair
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/39...
www.yeastgenome.org/reference/39...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Delighted to see our study finally out in "print". Thanks to all the (many) contributors, collaborators and reviewers!
Mismatch repair disturbs meiotic crossover control in S. cerevisiae academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Mismatch repair disturbs meiotic crossover control in S. cerevisiae academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Mismatch repair disturbs meiotic crossover control in S. cerevisiae
Abstract. Crossover formation during meiosis generates genetic diversity. In many species most crossovers display interference, meaning they are spaced mor
academic.oup.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Delighted to see our study finally out in "print". Thanks to all the (many) contributors, collaborators and reviewers!
Mismatch repair disturbs meiotic crossover control in S. cerevisiae academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Mismatch repair disturbs meiotic crossover control in S. cerevisiae academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
‼️ Excited to share our new paper out now in @science.org ‼️
We describe a new tetrameric RAD51 paralog complex – XRCC3-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 – which caps the end of RAD51 filaments.
Link: www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
Thread ⬇️ (1/8)
We describe a new tetrameric RAD51 paralog complex – XRCC3-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 – which caps the end of RAD51 filaments.
Link: www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
Thread ⬇️ (1/8)
November 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
‼️ Excited to share our new paper out now in @science.org ‼️
We describe a new tetrameric RAD51 paralog complex – XRCC3-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 – which caps the end of RAD51 filaments.
Link: www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
Thread ⬇️ (1/8)
We describe a new tetrameric RAD51 paralog complex – XRCC3-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 – which caps the end of RAD51 filaments.
Link: www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
Thread ⬇️ (1/8)
Happy to share our @narjournal.bsky.social paper on the mechanism of Dmc1 filament stabilization by Mei5-Sae3!
We show that Mei5-Sae3 can stabilize both active and inactive Dmc1 filaments, and that this is independent of the ATP hydrolytic cycle.
doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
We show that Mei5-Sae3 can stabilize both active and inactive Dmc1 filaments, and that this is independent of the ATP hydrolytic cycle.
doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
Mei5–Sae3 stabilizes both active and inactive forms of Dmc1 filaments independently of its impact on ATP hydrolysis
Abstract. In budding yeast, Dmc1’s recombinogenic activity is controlled by the meiosis-specific heterodimer Mei5–Sae3. Mei5–Sae3 is required for assembly
doi.org
November 9, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Happy to share our @narjournal.bsky.social paper on the mechanism of Dmc1 filament stabilization by Mei5-Sae3!
We show that Mei5-Sae3 can stabilize both active and inactive Dmc1 filaments, and that this is independent of the ATP hydrolytic cycle.
doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
We show that Mei5-Sae3 can stabilize both active and inactive Dmc1 filaments, and that this is independent of the ATP hydrolytic cycle.
doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Excited to share: NAR Cancer Editor's Choice review article from Kyungjae Myung and colleagues provides a snapshot of the blossoming field of DNA damage response- and repair-targeted therapeutics. Focus is on small molecules currently in clnical trials. academic.oup.com/narcancer/ar...
November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Excited to share: NAR Cancer Editor's Choice review article from Kyungjae Myung and colleagues provides a snapshot of the blossoming field of DNA damage response- and repair-targeted therapeutics. Focus is on small molecules currently in clnical trials. academic.oup.com/narcancer/ar...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Our latest collaboration with the talented Susi @sbantele.bsky.social and Jiri Lukas is out now @science.org 🤩. We reveal the hidden price for DNA repair, with potential implications for genome function, gene therapy and ageing👇
𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲?Excited to share our new study “Repair of DNA double-strand breaks leaves heritable impairment to genome function”, revealing DNA repair’s hidden cost, out now @science.org tinyurl.com/5n6zw3ye. Led by @sbantele.bsky.social and Jiri Lukas.🧵👇1/n
Repair of DNA double-strand breaks leaves heritable impairment to genome function
Upon DNA breakage, a genomic locus undergoes alterations in three-dimensional chromatin architecture to facilitate signaling and repair. Although cells possess mechanisms to repair damaged DNA, it is ...
tinyurl.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Our latest collaboration with the talented Susi @sbantele.bsky.social and Jiri Lukas is out now @science.org 🤩. We reveal the hidden price for DNA repair, with potential implications for genome function, gene therapy and ageing👇
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
We thank Evi Soutoglou and @rubenvanboxtel.bsky.social for sharing their exciting data with the GIIN community yesterday!
Our next webinar is on December 2nd, featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social. Do not miss it!
Sign up for updates: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Our next webinar is on December 2nd, featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social. Do not miss it!
Sign up for updates: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
November 5, 2025 at 4:45 PM
We thank Evi Soutoglou and @rubenvanboxtel.bsky.social for sharing their exciting data with the GIIN community yesterday!
Our next webinar is on December 2nd, featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social. Do not miss it!
Sign up for updates: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Our next webinar is on December 2nd, featuring @peterlylab.bsky.social and @alebrambati.bsky.social. Do not miss it!
Sign up for updates: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Want to know how homologous recombination defects are caused upon loss of BRCA2? Check out our recent efforts in uncovering this phenomenon just out in Science!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
FIGNL1 inhibits homologous recombination in BRCA2 deficient cells by dissociating RAD51 filaments
Homologous recombination (HR) deficiency upon Breast Cancer Gene 2 (BRCA2) loss arises from defects in the formation of RAD51 nucleoprotein filaments. We demonstrate that loss of the anti-recombinase ...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Want to know how homologous recombination defects are caused upon loss of BRCA2? Check out our recent efforts in uncovering this phenomenon just out in Science!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Among the anti-recombinases, FIGNL1 rules them all. So much that inactivating it brings BRCA2-deficient cells to life. Who is responsible for RAD51 loading without BRCA2/FIGNL1, check out the paper to find out! Great collaboration with @raychaudhurilab.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
October 30, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Among the anti-recombinases, FIGNL1 rules them all. So much that inactivating it brings BRCA2-deficient cells to life. Who is responsible for RAD51 loading without BRCA2/FIGNL1, check out the paper to find out! Great collaboration with @raychaudhurilab.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
See our paper “Mechanism of trinucleotide repeat expansion by MutSβ-MutLγ and contraction by FAN1”. Using biochemistry, we show how DNA incisions by the MutLγ nuclease can lead to expansions, and how expansion is prevented by FAN1. Well done Issam and Valentina!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 27, 2025 at 1:12 PM
See our paper “Mechanism of trinucleotide repeat expansion by MutSβ-MutLγ and contraction by FAN1”. Using biochemistry, we show how DNA incisions by the MutLγ nuclease can lead to expansions, and how expansion is prevented by FAN1. Well done Issam and Valentina!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
XPF mediates 3' flap processing for FEN1-independent Okazaki fragment maturation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.24.684453v1
October 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
XPF mediates 3' flap processing for FEN1-independent Okazaki fragment maturation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.24.684453v1
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
If anyone is hiring a technician, I’ve got a great candidate. I wish I could hire her myself! She’s got the grit, she knows how to hustle, and she does publication quality work. Lots of molecular biology, protein, and cell culture experience. Please DM me if you are interested.
October 25, 2025 at 3:34 AM
If anyone is hiring a technician, I’ve got a great candidate. I wish I could hire her myself! She’s got the grit, she knows how to hustle, and she does publication quality work. Lots of molecular biology, protein, and cell culture experience. Please DM me if you are interested.
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Cell-stereotyped DNA repair outcomes are widespread during genome editing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.684114v1
October 23, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Cell-stereotyped DNA repair outcomes are widespread during genome editing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.23.684114v1
Reposted by Diedre Reitz
Registration is open for the 2025 SoCal Genome Stability Symposium. Free registration. All talks by trainees. www.cityofhope.org/genome-stabi...
SoCal Genome Stability Symposium
The annual Genome Stability Symposium provides a forum for trainees in the Southern California region to present their research on the field of genome stability.
www.cityofhope.org
October 17, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Registration is open for the 2025 SoCal Genome Stability Symposium. Free registration. All talks by trainees. www.cityofhope.org/genome-stabi...