Latest work on bioRxiv
A survey of multi-targeting and off-targeting sgRNAs across five genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout sgRNA libraries with GuideRefine
Stefanus Bernard, Michael D. Rainey, Corrado Santocanale, Colm J. Ryan.
bioRxiv 2026.08.20.746015; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.08.20.746015
CDC7 and CDK8 kinases cooperate to support DNA replication origin firing in human cells
Michael D. Rainey, Stefanus Bernard, Aikaterini Pravi, Liadhan Farrell, Dominik Boos, Colm J. Ryan, Corrado Santocanale
bioRxiv 2025.12.09.692982; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.09.692982
Selected publications
J Cell Biol. 2024 Aug 5;223(8):e202402144. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202402144
Cazzaniga C, Göder A, Rainey MD, Quinlan A, Coughlan S, Bernard S, Santocanale C.
FEBS J. 2024 Jul;291(14):3147-3168. doi: 10.1111/febs.17127.
ATR Restrains DNA Synthesis and Mitotic Catastrophe in Response to CDC7 Inhibition
Rainey MD, Bennett D, O’Dea R, Zanchetta ME, Voisin M, Seoighe C, Santocanale C.
Cell Rep. 2020 Sep 1;32(9):108096. doi:
10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108096.
Rainey MD, Quinlan A, Cazzaniga C, Mijic S, Martella O, Krietsch J, Göder A, Lopes M, Santocanale C.
EMBO Rep. 2020 Aug 5;21(8):e48920. doi: 10.15252/embr.201948920.
Other publications from our lab
Göder A, Quinlan A, Rainey MD, Bennett D, Shamavu D, Corso J, et al. PTBP1 enforces ATR-CHK1 signaling determining the potency of CDC7 inhibitors. iScience. 2023;26(6):106951.
O’Dea R, Santocanale C. Non-canonical regulation of homologous recombination DNA repair by the USP9X deubiquitylase. J Cell Sci. 2020;133(3).
E OR, Dhami SPS, Baev DV, Ortutay C, Halpin-McCormick A, Morrell R, et al. Repression of Mcl-1 expression by the CDC7/CDK9 inhibitor PHA-767491 overcomes bone marrow stroma-mediated drug resistance in AML. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):15752.
Rainey MD, Quachthithu H, Gaboriau D, Santocanale C. DNA Replication Dynamics and Cellular Responses to ATP Competitive CDC7 Kinase Inhibitors. ACS Chem Biol. 2017;12(7):1893-902.
Wu KZ, Wang GN, Fitzgerald J, Quachthithu H, Rainey MD, Cattaneo A, et al. DDK dependent regulation of TOP2A at centromeres revealed by a chemical genetics approach. Nucleic Acids Res. 2016;44(18):8786-98.
McGarry E, Gaboriau D, Rainey MD, Restuccia U, Bachi A, Santocanale C. The Deubiquitinase USP9X Maintains DNA Replication Fork Stability and DNA Damage Checkpoint Responses by Regulating CLASPIN during S-Phase. Cancer Res. 2016;76(8):2384-93.
O’Connor A, Maffini S, Rainey MD, Kaczmarczyk A, Gaboriau D, Musacchio A, et al. Requirement for PLK1 kinase activity in the maintenance of a robust spindle assembly checkpoint. Biol Open. 2015;5(1):11-9.
Lo Re D, Zhou Y, Mucha J, Jones LF, Leahy L, Santocanale C, et al. Synthesis of Migrastatin Analogues as Inhibitors of Tumour Cell Migration: Exploring Structural Change in and on the Macrocyclic Ring. Chemistry. 2015;21(50):17993.
FitzGerald J, Murillo LS, O’Brien G, O’Connell E, O’Connor A, Wu K, et al. A high through-put screen for small molecules modulating MCM2 phosphorylation identifies Ryuvidine as an inducer of the DNA damage response. PLoS One. 2014;9(6):e98891.
Rainey MD, Harhen B, Wang GN, Murphy PV, Santocanale C. Cdc7-dependent and -independent phosphorylation of Claspin in the induction of the DNA replication checkpoint. Cell Cycle. 2013;12(10):1560-8.
Natoni A, O’Dwyer M, Santocanale C. A cell culture system that mimics chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells microenvironment for drug screening and characterization. Methods Mol Biol. 2013;986:217-26.
Natoni A, Coyne MR, Jacobsen A, Rainey MD, O’Brien G, Healy S, et al. Characterization of a Dual CDC7/CDK9 Inhibitor in Multiple Myeloma Cellular Models. Cancers (Basel). 2013;5(3):901-18.
Broderick R, Rainey MD, Santocanale C, Nasheuer HP. Cell cycle-dependent formation of Cdc45-Claspin complexes in human cells is compromized by UV-mediated DNA damage. FEBS J. 2013;280(19):4888-902.
Barkley LR, Santocanale C. MicroRNA-29a regulates the benzo[a]pyrene dihydrodiol epoxide-induced DNA damage response through Cdc7 kinase in lung cancer cells. Oncogenesis. 2013;2(7):e57.
Martin L, Rainey M, Santocanale C, Gardner LB. Hypoxic activation of ATR and the suppression of the initiation of DNA replication through cdc6 degradation. Oncogene. 2012;31(36):4076-84.
Stone JG, Siedlak SL, Tabaton M, Hirano A, Castellani RJ, Santocanale C, et al. The cell cycle regulator phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein is associated with tau pathology in several tauopathies. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2011;70(7):578-87.
Natoni A, Murillo LS, Kliszczak AE, Catherwood MA, Montagnoli A, Samali A, et al. Mechanisms of action of a dual Cdc7/Cdk9 kinase inhibitor against quiescent and proliferating CLL cells. Mol Cancer Ther. 2011;10(9):1624-34.
Napolitano C, Natoni A, Santocanale C, Evensen L, Lorens JB, Murphy PV. Isosteric replacement of the Z-enone with haloethyl ketone and E-enone in a resorcylic acid lactone series and biological evaluation. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2011;21(4):1167-70.
Kliszczak AE, Rainey MD, Harhen B, Boisvert FM, Santocanale C. DNA mediated chromatin pull-down for the study of chromatin replication. Sci Rep. 2011;1:95.