Murawska Lab

Vergrößern

Our lab explores histone chaperones - dynamic protein complexes that shape chromatin by assembling and disassembling nucleosomes to maintain genome stability. We are interested in how these factors regulate spatiotemporal chromatin dynamics during the cell cycle and how their misregulation supports cancer cell survival.

We use a highly interdisciplinary approach, combining genomics, AI-assisted biochemistry, genetics, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and advanced microscopy. We perform experiments in both fission yeast, a powerful model organism with conserved chromatin biology, and human cancer cells, allowing us to connect fundamental mechanisms to disease-relevant biology.

Research

1. Chromatin dynamics regulation by the FACT chaperone

We identified FACT as a unique histone chaperone that promotes heterochromatin spreading along chromosomal arms. We continue our studies on the FACT chaperone with a special focus on less understood, transcription-independent processes.
We aim to answer the following questions:
• What is the role of FACT at centromeres and in chromosome segregation?
• How is FACT’s stability and turnover regulated across the genome?
• How does FACT coordinate with other histone chaperones during histone hand-off?

2. Nuclear functions of bromodomain AAA+ ATPases

AAA+ ATPases (ATPases Associated with diverse cellular Activities) are molecular machines involved in protein complex remodeling and cellular quality control. Bromodomain-containing AAA+ ATPases represent a poorly understood subgroup and are emerging as putative atypical histone chaperones with links to cancer.Our research focuses on defining their molecular functions, mechanisms of chromatin recruitment, and how their distinct domains cooperate and contribute to their activity.

We always welcome curious and motivated students to apply for internships, bachelor’s and master’s theses, or PhD projects in our group.

Publications

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8956-7545

Scientific Vita

People