{"id":140,"date":"2023-10-16T08:50:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T07:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ccb.flaus.net\/ccb2\/?page_id=140"},"modified":"2026-04-10T22:46:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T21:46:32","slug":"mcstay","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/groups\/mcstay\/","title":{"rendered":"Brian McStay"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"593\" height=\"593\" src=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mcstay-Leaves-e1711994599570-edited-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1280\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mcstay-Leaves-e1711994599570-edited-2.png 593w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mcstay-Leaves-e1711994599570-edited-2-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Mcstay-Leaves-e1711994599570-edited-2-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 593px) 100vw, 593px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Prof Brian McStay<\/strong><br>Professor in Biochemistry<br>Wellcome Investigator<br>EMBO Member<br>brian.mcstay@universityofgalway.ie<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research interests<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Human acrocentric chromosomes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chromosomal context of human NORs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nucleolar formation and organisation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Genome stability of rDNA arrays<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research overview<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Nucleoli, sites of ribosome biogenesis and the largest structures in the human nucleus, form around nucleolar organiser regions (NORs) located on the short or p-arms of five different chromosomes referred to as acrocentric chromosomes (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36854315\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">McStay, 2023<\/a>). NORs comprise ribosomal genes (rDNA) arrays coding for the major RNA components of ribosomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"816\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig1-better-crop.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-727\" style=\"width:777px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig1-better-crop.png 816w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig1-better-crop-300x142.png 300w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig1-better-crop-768x363.png 768w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig1-better-crop-600x284.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ribosomal gene arrays are located on the p-arms of each of the five human acrocentric chromosomes. Distal and proximal junctions abut rDNA arrays on their telomeric and centromeric ends <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36854315\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">[Source]<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-515835478ad5939cdffc82aad3afc942\" style=\"font-size:8px\">.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">How multiple acrocentric p-arms gather together to form a nucleolus and how NORs partition within nucleoli are important but unanswered questions. Progress has been hampered by the inability to distinguish acrocentric p-arms from each other due to their shared DNA-sequences (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31727772\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Van Sluis et al, 2019<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32332163\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Van Sluis et al, 2020<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8ca2f1cc1e0f1d098bcb11d08b136680\" style=\"font-size:4px\">.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3252\" height=\"830\" src=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1438\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background.png 3252w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-300x77.png 300w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-1024x261.png 1024w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-768x196.png 768w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-1536x392.png 1536w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-2048x523.png 2048w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-600x153.png 600w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig2-proper-background-945x241.png 945w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3252px) 100vw, 3252px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A reverse genetics strategy for studying acrocentric p-arms. Precision chromosome engineering is performed on single acrocentric chromosomes held within mono-chromosomal somatic cell hybrids. The engineered chromosomes are then transferred into human cells to assess the functional impact <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33664058\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"[Source] (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">[Source]<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8cebd6fdd52316acbbfc37e060c85da4\" style=\"font-size:10px\">.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">To circumvent this, we have developed powerful chromosome-engineering approaches on single human chromosomes held in mono-chromosomal somatic cell hybrids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:60%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"489\" height=\"231\" src=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig3-better.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-721\" style=\"width:564px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig3-better.png 489w, https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/McStayFig3-better-300x142.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A model for nucleolar organisation in normal growth conditions and under nucleolar stresses<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33664058\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> [Source]<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:40%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">These custom engineered chromosomes can then be reintroduced into human cells to test function in nucleolar formation (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33664058\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Mangan &amp; McStay, 2021<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Using this transformative technology and Wellcome Investigator funding, we are currently addressing the following aims: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\" class=\"has-inline-background\">Characterise chromosomal requirements for the formation of large multivalent nucleoli<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\" class=\"has-inline-background\">Identify factor(s) constraining NOR-territories (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33664058\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Mangan &amp; McStay, 2021<\/a>)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\" class=\"has-inline-background\">Explore cellular responses to rDNA DSBs using genome-edited human NORs (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26019174\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Van Sluis &amp; McStay, 2015<\/a>)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keywords<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Human acrocentric chromosomes, nucleolar organiser regions (NORs), nucleolus, ribosomal genes (rDNA), rDNA genome stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research Techniques<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Genome Editing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Precision Chromosome Engineering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Microscopy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Next Generation Sequencing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lab Members<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dr Hazel Mangan (PD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr Emiliano Matos-Perdomo (PD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr Krystyna Giemza (PD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maria O&#8217;Keeffe (PhD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tom Durkin (RA &amp; MSc)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Selected publications <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36854315\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">The p-Arms of Human Acrocentric Chromosomes Play by a Different Set of Rules<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33664058\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Human nucleoli comprise multiple constrained territories, tethered to individual chromosomes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32332163\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NORs on human acrocentric chromosome p-arms are active by default and can associate with nucleoli independently of rDNA<\/a>&nbsp; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31727772\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">Human NORs, comprising rDNA arrays and functionally conserved distal elements, are located within dynamic chromosomal regions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26019174\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A localized nucleolar DNA damage response facilitates recruitment of the homology-directed repair machinery independent of cell cycle stage<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Most Recent Publications<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-rss\"><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/41533570\/?utm_source=WordPress&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=pubmed-2&#038;utm_content=1NOY_AEF8gNY3GR2F32v7ocFrT_915ftD4VjnABby4KXfi8g_P&#038;fc=20231019070615&#038;ff=20260423114511&#038;v=2.19.0.post6+133c1fe'>Visualization and quantification of rDNA instabilities in mammalian cells and mouse models<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40637237\/?utm_source=WordPress&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=pubmed-2&#038;utm_content=1NOY_AEF8gNY3GR2F32v7ocFrT_915ftD4VjnABby4KXfi8g_P&#038;fc=20231019070615&#038;ff=20260423114511&#038;v=2.19.0.post6+133c1fe'>Nucleolar FRG2 lncRNAs inhibit rRNA transcription and cytoplasmic translation, linking FSHD to dysregulation of muscle-specific protein synthesis<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class='wp-block-rss__item'><div class='wp-block-rss__item-title'><a href='https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/39797762\/?utm_source=WordPress&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=pubmed-2&#038;utm_content=1NOY_AEF8gNY3GR2F32v7ocFrT_915ftD4VjnABby4KXfi8g_P&#038;fc=20231019070615&#038;ff=20260423114511&#038;v=2.19.0.post6+133c1fe'>LINE1 elements at distal junctions of rDNA repeats regulate nucleolar organization in human embryonic stem cells<\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick Links<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.universityofgalway.ie\/our-research\/people\/biological-chemical-sciences\/brianmcstay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">University Profile<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/?term=McStay+B&amp;cauthor_id=36854315\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PubMed<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=6ba_dr4AAAAJ&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Google Scholar<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get in Touch!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>brian.mcstay@universityofgalway.ie<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prof Brian McStayProfessor in BiochemistryWellcome InvestigatorEMBO Memberbrian.mcstay@universityofgalway.ie Research interests Research overview Nucleoli, sites of ribosome biogenesis and the largest structures in the human nucleus, form around nucleolar organiser regions (NORs) located on the short or p-arms of five different chromosomes&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/groups\/mcstay\/\">Continue Reading &rarr;<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":7,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_eb_attr":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-140","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-groups"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2190,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions\/2190"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chromosome.ie\/gae\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}