Research case studies Explore a selection of reports that spotlight particular areas of research at the Crick over the past five years.
Doctoral clinical fellows Opportunities for clinicians to perform innovative biomedical discovery research for three years while following the Crick's clinical PhD programme.
Breadcrumb Simon Boulton Boulton lab DSB Repair Metabolism Laboratory : Publications Lab contentLab contentIn this section Overview Vacancies Areas of interest Publications Members DNA damage in mouse embryonic stem cells. Credit: Paulina Marzec. Toggle to view hero caption PublicationsYear published2023 (7)2022 (7)2021 (14)2020 (10)2019 (6)2018 (8)2017 (9)2016 (2)2015 (8)2014 (7)2013 (7)2012 (6)2011 (2)2010 (8) Facet Year publishedResearch topicsBiochemistry & Proteomics (68)Cell Biology (68)Cell Cycle & Chromosomes (68)Genetics & Genomics (68)Genome Integrity & Repair (68)Model Organisms (68)Chemical Biology & High Throughput (15)Computational & Systems Biology (11)Structural Biology & Biophysics (11)Tumour Biology (8)Imaging (7)Human Biology & Physiology (4)Signalling & Oncogenes (4)Gene Expression (3)Developmental Biology (2)Neurosciences (2)Immunology (1)Infectious Disease (1)Metabolism (1)Microfabrication & Bioengineering (1)Stem Cells (1)Synthetic Biology (1) Facet Research topicsPublication typeJournal article (101)Primary research (77)Review (19)Editorial (2)Method (2)Commentary (1) Facet Publication typeJournalMolecular Cell (24)Cell Reports (9)Nature (9)Nature Communications (7)Science (5)Journal of Cell Science (4)Cell (3)PLOS Genetics (3)Cancer Discovery (2)DNA Repair (2)Genes & Development (2)Genes and Development (2)Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2)Nucleic Acids Research (2)STAR Protocols (2)Trends in Cell Biology (2)American Journal of Human Genetics (1)Cell Cycle (1)Chromosoma (1)Clinical cancer research (1)Current Opinion in Genetics and Development (1)eLife (1)EMBO Journal (1)EMBO Reports (1)FEBS Letters (1)Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (1)Frontiers in Immunology (1)Genome Biology (1)Journal of Biological Chemistry (1)Journal of Clinical Oncology (1)Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (1)Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (1)Oncogene (1)PLOS ONE (1)The EMBO Journal (1)Trends in Cancer (1)Trends in Genetics (1) Facet Journal Publications Displaying 1 - 20 of 101Last updated : 01 December 2023 03:40 Negative DNA supercoiling induces genome-wide Cas9 off-target activity Authors (13)Matt Newton Marialucrezia Losito Quentin M SmithVenkata Nishita Mohan Parnandi Benjamin J Taylor Pinar Akcakaya[...] Simon H ReedSimon Boulton Graeme A King Maria Emanuela Cuomo David S Rueda Molecular Cell Published 5 October 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Visualization of direct and diffusion-assisted RAD51 nucleation by full-length human BRCA2 protein Authors (11)Ondrej BelanLuke Greenhough Lucas KuhlenRoopesh Anand Artur KaczmarczykDominika GruszkaHasan YardimciXiaodong Zhang David S RuedaStephen WestSimon Boulton Molecular Cell Published 17 August 2023 Crick labsHasan YardimciStephen WestSimon BoultonFull details Structure and function of the RAD51B-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 tumour suppressor Authors (10)Luke GreenhoughEric Chih-Chao LiangOndrej BelanSimone KunzelmannSarah MaslenMonica Rodrigo BrenniRoopesh AnandMark SkehelSimon BoultonStephen West Nature Published 20 July 2023 Crick labs/ facilitiesStephen WestSimon BoultonStructural BiologyProteomicsElectron MicroscopyFull details Integrated transcriptome landscape of ALS identifies genome instability linked to TDP-43 pathology Authors (14)Oliver ZiffJacob NeevesJamie MitchellGiulia Tyzack Carlos Martinez-Ruiz Raphaelle Luisier[...]Simon Boulton Ammar Al-ChalabiGavin Kelly Jack HumphreyRickie Patani Nature Communications Published 20 April 2023 Crick labs/ facilitiesJernej UleRickie PataniSimon BoultonBioinformatics and BiostatisticsScientific computingFull details The APE2 nuclease is essential for DNA double-strand break repair by microhomology-mediated end joining Authors (18) Hubert Fleury Myles K MacEachern Clara M StiefelRoopesh Anand Colin Sempeck Benjamin Nebenfuehr[...] Laila Weatherly Djelika Dansoko Justin W LeungSimon Boulton Nausica Arnoult Molecular Cell Published 4 May 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Modulating mutational outcomes and improving precise gene editing at CRISPR-Cas9-induced breaks by chemical inhibition of end-joining pathways Authors (11) Joost Schimmel Núria Muñoz-Subirana Hanneke Kool Robin van Schendel Sven van der Vlies Juliette A Kamp Femke de Vrij Steven A Kushner Graeme CM SmithSimon Boulton Marcel Tijsterman Cell Reports Published 28 February 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Small-molecule Polθ inhibitors provide safe and effective tumor radiosensitization in preclinical models Authors (24) Gonzalo Rodriguez-Berriguete Marco Ranzani Remko Prevo Rathi Puliyadi Nicole Machado Hannah R Bolland[...] Ester M Hammond Robert A Heald Graeme CM Smith Helen MR Robinson Geoff S Higgins Clinical cancer research Published 15 April 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details POLQ seals post-replicative ssDNA gaps to maintain genome stability in BRCA-deficient cancer cells Authors (16)Ondrej BelanMarie SebaldMarek AdamowiczRoopesh AnandAleksandra Vancevska Joana Neves[...] Geoff S Higgins Graeme CM SmithStephen West David S RuedaSimon Boulton Molecular Cell Published 15 December 2022 Crick labsStephen WestSimon BoultonFull details Search and processing of Holliday junctions within long DNA by junction-resolving enzymes Authors (6) Artur P Kaczmarczyk Anne-Cécile DéclaisMatt NewtonSimon Boulton David MJ Lilley David S Rueda Nature Communications Published 7 October 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Discovery, characterization, and structure-based optimization of small-molecule in vitro and in vivo probes for human DNA polymerase theta Authors (33) Martin L Stockley Amanda Ferdinand Giovanni Benedetti Peter Blencowe Susan M Boyd Mat Calder[...] Graeme CM Smith Martin E Swarbrick Andrew P Turnbull Simon Willis Robert A Heald Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Published 27 October 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Satellite repeat transcripts modulate heterochromatin condensates and safeguard chromosome stability in mouse embryonic stem cells Authors (13)Clara Novo Emily V Wong Colin Hockings Chetan Poudel Eleanor Sheekey Meike Wiese[...] Srinjan Basu Simon Walker Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle Geeta J Narlikar Peter J Rugg-Gunn Nature Communications Published 20 June 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Disrupted control of origin activation compromises genome integrity upon destabilization of Polε and dysfunction of the TRP53-CDKN1A/P21 axis Authors (12)Valerie Borel Stefan Boeing Niek Van Wietmarschen Sriram Sridharan Bethany Rebekah Hill Luigi Ombrato[...]Deb JacksonRobert GoldstoneSimon Boulton Andre Nussenzweig Roberto Bellelli Cell Reports Published 31 May 2022 Crick labs/ facilitiesSimon BoultonBioinformatics and BiostatisticsAdvanced SequencingFull details H3K4 methylation by SETD1A/BOD1L facilitates RIF1-dependent NHEJ Authors (14)Rachel BayleyValerie BorelRhiannon J MossEllie SweatmanPhil RuisAlice Ormrod[...]Graeme HewittMarco SaponaroGrant S StewartSimon BoultonMartin R Higgs Molecular Cell Published 19 May 2022 Crick labs/ facilitiesSimon BoultonGenetic Modification ServiceBiological Research FacilityFull details Proline-specific aminopeptidase P prevents replication-associated genome instability Authors (10) Nicola Silva Maikel Castellano-Pozo Kenichiro Matsuzaki Consuelo Barroso Monica Roman-Trufero Hannah Craig Darren R Brooks R Elwyn IsaacSimon Boulton Enrique Martinez-Perez PLOS Genetics Published 26 January 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details HELQ is a dual-function DSB repair enzyme modulated by RPA and RAD51 Authors (10)Roopesh Anand Erika BuechelmaierOndrej BelanMatt NewtonAleksandra Vancevska Artur KaczmarczykTohru Takaki David S Rueda Simon N PowellSimon Boulton Nature Published 13 January 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Tackling PARP inhibitor resistance Authors (4)Kasper Fugger Graeme HewittStephen WestSimon Boulton Trends in Cancer Published 1 December 2021 Crick labsStephen WestSimon BoultonFull details Nucleotide proofreading functions by nematode RAD51 paralogs facilitate optimal RAD51 filament function Authors (5) Mário Špírek Martin RG TaylorOndrej BelanSimon Boulton Lumir Krejci Nature Communications Published 20 September 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Structure and dynamics of the chromatin remodeler ALC1 bound to a PARylated nucleosome Authors (10) Luka Bacic Guillaume Gaullier Anton Sabantsev Laura C Lehmann Klaus Brackmann Despoina Dimakou Mario Halic Graeme HewittSimon Boulton Sebastian Deindl eLife Published 6 September 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details A tale of two states: pluripotency regulation of telomeres Authors (1)Clara Novo Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology Published 8 July 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Mechanism of mitotic recombination: insights from C. elegans Authors (3)Ondrej BelanRoopesh AnandSimon Boulton Current Opinion in Genetics and Development Published 1 December 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Next page Next Last page Last Share the page Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Email
Negative DNA supercoiling induces genome-wide Cas9 off-target activity Authors (13)Matt Newton Marialucrezia Losito Quentin M SmithVenkata Nishita Mohan Parnandi Benjamin J Taylor Pinar Akcakaya[...] Simon H ReedSimon Boulton Graeme A King Maria Emanuela Cuomo David S Rueda Molecular Cell Published 5 October 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Visualization of direct and diffusion-assisted RAD51 nucleation by full-length human BRCA2 protein Authors (11)Ondrej BelanLuke Greenhough Lucas KuhlenRoopesh Anand Artur KaczmarczykDominika GruszkaHasan YardimciXiaodong Zhang David S RuedaStephen WestSimon Boulton Molecular Cell Published 17 August 2023 Crick labsHasan YardimciStephen WestSimon BoultonFull details
Structure and function of the RAD51B-RAD51C-RAD51D-XRCC2 tumour suppressor Authors (10)Luke GreenhoughEric Chih-Chao LiangOndrej BelanSimone KunzelmannSarah MaslenMonica Rodrigo BrenniRoopesh AnandMark SkehelSimon BoultonStephen West Nature Published 20 July 2023 Crick labs/ facilitiesStephen WestSimon BoultonStructural BiologyProteomicsElectron MicroscopyFull details
Integrated transcriptome landscape of ALS identifies genome instability linked to TDP-43 pathology Authors (14)Oliver ZiffJacob NeevesJamie MitchellGiulia Tyzack Carlos Martinez-Ruiz Raphaelle Luisier[...]Simon Boulton Ammar Al-ChalabiGavin Kelly Jack HumphreyRickie Patani Nature Communications Published 20 April 2023 Crick labs/ facilitiesJernej UleRickie PataniSimon BoultonBioinformatics and BiostatisticsScientific computingFull details
The APE2 nuclease is essential for DNA double-strand break repair by microhomology-mediated end joining Authors (18) Hubert Fleury Myles K MacEachern Clara M StiefelRoopesh Anand Colin Sempeck Benjamin Nebenfuehr[...] Laila Weatherly Djelika Dansoko Justin W LeungSimon Boulton Nausica Arnoult Molecular Cell Published 4 May 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Modulating mutational outcomes and improving precise gene editing at CRISPR-Cas9-induced breaks by chemical inhibition of end-joining pathways Authors (11) Joost Schimmel Núria Muñoz-Subirana Hanneke Kool Robin van Schendel Sven van der Vlies Juliette A Kamp Femke de Vrij Steven A Kushner Graeme CM SmithSimon Boulton Marcel Tijsterman Cell Reports Published 28 February 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Small-molecule Polθ inhibitors provide safe and effective tumor radiosensitization in preclinical models Authors (24) Gonzalo Rodriguez-Berriguete Marco Ranzani Remko Prevo Rathi Puliyadi Nicole Machado Hannah R Bolland[...] Ester M Hammond Robert A Heald Graeme CM Smith Helen MR Robinson Geoff S Higgins Clinical cancer research Published 15 April 2023 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
POLQ seals post-replicative ssDNA gaps to maintain genome stability in BRCA-deficient cancer cells Authors (16)Ondrej BelanMarie SebaldMarek AdamowiczRoopesh AnandAleksandra Vancevska Joana Neves[...] Geoff S Higgins Graeme CM SmithStephen West David S RuedaSimon Boulton Molecular Cell Published 15 December 2022 Crick labsStephen WestSimon BoultonFull details
Search and processing of Holliday junctions within long DNA by junction-resolving enzymes Authors (6) Artur P Kaczmarczyk Anne-Cécile DéclaisMatt NewtonSimon Boulton David MJ Lilley David S Rueda Nature Communications Published 7 October 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Discovery, characterization, and structure-based optimization of small-molecule in vitro and in vivo probes for human DNA polymerase theta Authors (33) Martin L Stockley Amanda Ferdinand Giovanni Benedetti Peter Blencowe Susan M Boyd Mat Calder[...] Graeme CM Smith Martin E Swarbrick Andrew P Turnbull Simon Willis Robert A Heald Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Published 27 October 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Satellite repeat transcripts modulate heterochromatin condensates and safeguard chromosome stability in mouse embryonic stem cells Authors (13)Clara Novo Emily V Wong Colin Hockings Chetan Poudel Eleanor Sheekey Meike Wiese[...] Srinjan Basu Simon Walker Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle Geeta J Narlikar Peter J Rugg-Gunn Nature Communications Published 20 June 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Disrupted control of origin activation compromises genome integrity upon destabilization of Polε and dysfunction of the TRP53-CDKN1A/P21 axis Authors (12)Valerie Borel Stefan Boeing Niek Van Wietmarschen Sriram Sridharan Bethany Rebekah Hill Luigi Ombrato[...]Deb JacksonRobert GoldstoneSimon Boulton Andre Nussenzweig Roberto Bellelli Cell Reports Published 31 May 2022 Crick labs/ facilitiesSimon BoultonBioinformatics and BiostatisticsAdvanced SequencingFull details
H3K4 methylation by SETD1A/BOD1L facilitates RIF1-dependent NHEJ Authors (14)Rachel BayleyValerie BorelRhiannon J MossEllie SweatmanPhil RuisAlice Ormrod[...]Graeme HewittMarco SaponaroGrant S StewartSimon BoultonMartin R Higgs Molecular Cell Published 19 May 2022 Crick labs/ facilitiesSimon BoultonGenetic Modification ServiceBiological Research FacilityFull details
Proline-specific aminopeptidase P prevents replication-associated genome instability Authors (10) Nicola Silva Maikel Castellano-Pozo Kenichiro Matsuzaki Consuelo Barroso Monica Roman-Trufero Hannah Craig Darren R Brooks R Elwyn IsaacSimon Boulton Enrique Martinez-Perez PLOS Genetics Published 26 January 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
HELQ is a dual-function DSB repair enzyme modulated by RPA and RAD51 Authors (10)Roopesh Anand Erika BuechelmaierOndrej BelanMatt NewtonAleksandra Vancevska Artur KaczmarczykTohru Takaki David S Rueda Simon N PowellSimon Boulton Nature Published 13 January 2022 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Tackling PARP inhibitor resistance Authors (4)Kasper Fugger Graeme HewittStephen WestSimon Boulton Trends in Cancer Published 1 December 2021 Crick labsStephen WestSimon BoultonFull details
Nucleotide proofreading functions by nematode RAD51 paralogs facilitate optimal RAD51 filament function Authors (5) Mário Špírek Martin RG TaylorOndrej BelanSimon Boulton Lumir Krejci Nature Communications Published 20 September 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Structure and dynamics of the chromatin remodeler ALC1 bound to a PARylated nucleosome Authors (10) Luka Bacic Guillaume Gaullier Anton Sabantsev Laura C Lehmann Klaus Brackmann Despoina Dimakou Mario Halic Graeme HewittSimon Boulton Sebastian Deindl eLife Published 6 September 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
A tale of two states: pluripotency regulation of telomeres Authors (1)Clara Novo Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology Published 8 July 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details
Mechanism of mitotic recombination: insights from C. elegans Authors (3)Ondrej BelanRoopesh AnandSimon Boulton Current Opinion in Genetics and Development Published 1 December 2021 Crick labsSimon BoultonFull details