Department of Zoology

Principal Investigators

Research area - Cell Biology

We are investigating the replication of chromosomal DNA in proliferating mammalian cells. Our research focuses on the mechanisms by which the initiation step of DNA replication is regulated, with a particular interest in the functional roles played by non-coding Y RNAs. Other research topics include the regulation of chromatin assembly during DNA synthesis and wider aspects of cell proliferation control.

We are addressing these topics experimentally by using cell biological and biochemical approaches, mainly employing cell-free systems derived from mammalian tissue culture cells.

Research group - Regulation of chromosomal DNA replication in human cells

Selected publications

• Klinge, S., Hirst, J., Maman, J. D., Krude, T., and Pellegrini, L. (2007). An iron-sulfur domain of the eukaryotic primase is essential for RNA primer synthesis. Nat Struct Mol Biol 14, 875-877.

• Christo, C. P., Gardiner, T. J., Szüts, D., and Krude, T. (2006). Functional requirement of non-coding Y RNAs for human chromosomal DNA replication. Mol Cell Biol 26, 6993-7004.
• Krude, T. (2006). Initiation of chromosomal DNA replication in mammalian cell-free systems. Cell Cycle 5, 2115-2122.
• Nabatiyan, A., Szüts, D., and Krude, T. (2006). Induction of CAF-1 expression in response to DNA strand breaks in quiescent human cells. Mol Cell Biol 26, 1839-1849.
• Marheineke, K., Hyrien, O., and Krude, T. (2005). Visualization of bidirectional initiation of chromosomal DNA replication in a human cell free system. Nucleic Acids Res 33, 6931-6941.
• Nabatiyan, A., and Krude, T. (2004). Silencing of Chromatin Assembly Factor 1 in human cells leads to cell death and loss of chromatin assembly during DNA synthesis. Mol Cell Biol 24, 2853-2862.
• Laman, H., Coverley, D., Krude, T., Laskey, R., and Jones, N. (2001). Viral cyclin-cyclin-dependent kinase 6 complexes initiate nuclear DNA replication. Mol Cell Biol 21, 624-635.
• Krude, T. (2000). Initiation of human DNA replication in vitro using nuclei from cells arrested at an initiation-competent state. J Biol Chem 275, 13699-13707.
• Krude, T. , Jackman, M., Pines, J., and Laskey, R.A. (1997). Cyclin/Cdk-dependent initiation of DNA replication in a human cell-free system. Cell 88, 109-119.