Rekha Rai, PhD
Senior Research Scientist in Laboratory MedicineDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Laboratory Medicine
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Senior Research Scientist in Laboratory Medicine
Biography
The focus of my research is to understand how cells detect DNA damage and how DNA lesions are repaired with relevance to the role of telomeres in cancer initiation and aging.
Appointments
Laboratory Medicine
Senior Research ScientistPrimary
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Education & Training
- PhD
- Banaras Hindu University (1998)
- MS
- Banaras Hindu University (1993)
- BS
- Banaras Hindu University (1991)
Research
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Rekha Rai's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Rekha Rai's research output by year.
Sandy Chang, MD, PhD, BS
Peili Gu, PhD
Fengshan Liang, PhD
Lajos Pusztai, MD, DPhil
25Publications
1,447Citations
Publications
2024
TRF2–RAP1 represses RAD51-dependent homology-directed telomere repair by promoting BLM-mediated D-loop unwinding and inhibiting BLM–DNA2-dependent 5′-end resection
Liang F, Rai R, Sodeinde T, Chang S. TRF2–RAP1 represses RAD51-dependent homology-directed telomere repair by promoting BLM-mediated D-loop unwinding and inhibiting BLM–DNA2-dependent 5′-end resection. Nucleic Acids Research 2024, 52: 9695-9709. PMID: 39082275, PMCID: PMC11381343, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae642.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsHomology-directed repairTelomeric D-loopsD-loopChromosome fusionsD-loop formationSingle-stranded telomeric overhangsHomology searchTelomere clusteringTRFH domainPurified proteinBasic domainBlm mutantsProtect telomeresGenomic instabilityTelomeric overhangEnd resectionTRF2Molecular mechanismsTelomereTelomere lossMolecular pathwaysTelomere repairGenomeMutantsRap1
2023
Telomeres cooperate with the nuclear envelope to maintain genome stability
Rai R, Sodeinde T, Boston A, Chang S. Telomeres cooperate with the nuclear envelope to maintain genome stability. BioEssays 2023, 46: e2300184. PMID: 38047499, DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300184.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsNuclear envelopeGenome stabilityNuclear envelope ruptureKu70/Ku80Homology-directed recombinationMammalian telomeresChromosome stabilityNuclear laminsShelterin componentsProtein TRF2Envelope ruptureRepair proteinsTelomeresRap1Recent findingsProteinFunction resultsRecombinationDNA sensingForm structuresLaminsTRF2Ku80DNAHomeostasisAuthor Correction: Homology directed telomere clustering, ultrabright telomere formation and nuclear envelope rupture in cells lacking TRF2B and RAP1
Rai R, Biju K, Sun W, Sodeinde T, Al-Hiyasat A, Morgan J, Ye X, Li X, Chen Y, Chang S. Author Correction: Homology directed telomere clustering, ultrabright telomere formation and nuclear envelope rupture in cells lacking TRF2B and RAP1. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 3319. PMID: 37286532, PMCID: PMC10247812, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39144-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricHomology directed telomere clustering, ultrabright telomere formation and nuclear envelope rupture in cells lacking TRF2B and RAP1
Rai R, Biju K, Sun W, Sodeinde T, Al-Hiyasat A, Morgan J, Ye X, Li X, Chen Y, Chang S. Homology directed telomere clustering, ultrabright telomere formation and nuclear envelope rupture in cells lacking TRF2B and RAP1. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 2144. PMID: 37059728, PMCID: PMC10104862, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37761-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDouble-strand breaksNuclear envelopeDistinct DNA repair mechanismsNuclear envelope ruptureKu70/Ku80DNA repair mechanismsDNA-RNA hybridsBRCT domainGenome stabilityPhosphomimetic mutantTelomere formationGenotoxic stressEnvelope ruptureDysfunctional telomeresBasic domainRap1Aberrant laminTelomeresRepair mechanismsLaminsTRF2HomologyProteinShelterinADAR1p110
2020
Microcephalin 1/BRIT1-TRF2 interaction promotes telomere replication and repair, linking telomere dysfunction to primary microcephaly
Cicconi A, Rai R, Xiong X, Broton C, Al-Hiyasat A, Hu C, Dong S, Sun W, Garbarino J, Bindra RS, Schildkraut C, Chen Y, Chang S. Microcephalin 1/BRIT1-TRF2 interaction promotes telomere replication and repair, linking telomere dysfunction to primary microcephaly. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 5861. PMID: 33203878, PMCID: PMC7672075, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19674-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH KeywordsAminopeptidasesAnimalsBinding SitesCalorimetryCell Cycle ProteinsCytoskeletal ProteinsDipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-PeptidasesDNA DamageFibroblastsHeLa CellsHistonesHumansMiceMicrocephalyMutationProtein Interaction Domains and MotifsSerine ProteasesShelterin ComplexTelomereTelomere-Binding ProteinsTelomeric Repeat Binding Protein 2
2019
The Replisome Mediates A-NHEJ Repair of Telomeres Lacking POT1-TPP1 Independently of MRN Function
Rai R, Gu P, Broton C, Kumar-Sinha C, Chen Y, Chang S. The Replisome Mediates A-NHEJ Repair of Telomeres Lacking POT1-TPP1 Independently of MRN Function. Cell Reports 2019, 29: 3708-3725.e5. PMID: 31825846, PMCID: PMC7001145, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAcid Anhydride HydrolasesAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAminopeptidasesAnimalsCell Cycle ProteinsCell Line, TumorCells, CulturedCheckpoint Kinase 1Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-PeptidasesDNA End-Joining RepairDNA Repair EnzymesDNA-Binding ProteinsDNA-Directed DNA PolymeraseExodeoxyribonucleasesHEK293 CellsHumansMiceMRE11 Homologue ProteinMultienzyme ComplexesProliferating Cell Nuclear AntigenSerine ProteasesShelterin ComplexTelomereTelomere-Binding ProteinsTelomeric Repeat Binding Protein 2ConceptsReplication protein AReplisome complexPOT1-TPP1Dysfunctional telomeresDNA damage sensor MRE11-RAD50DNA damage checkpoint responseAlternative non-homologous endNon-homologous endMRN functionChromosome endsMre11-Rad50Checkpoint responseDNA-PKTelomeric overhangMre11 nucleaseTelomere repairEnd resectionRAD-51Repair pathwaysAtaxia telangiectasiaTelomeresC-strandDNA damageReplisomeClaspin
2017
Structural and functional analyses of the mammalian TIN2-TPP1-TRF2 telomeric complex
Hu C, Rai R, Huang C, Broton C, Long J, Xu Y, Xue J, Lei M, Chang S, Chen Y. Structural and functional analyses of the mammalian TIN2-TPP1-TRF2 telomeric complex. Cell Research 2017, 27: 1485-1502. PMID: 29160297, PMCID: PMC5717407, DOI: 10.1038/cr.2017.144.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsShelterin complexTelomeric DNAStructure-based mutagenesis analysisProtein-protein interaction platformRepetitive DNA sequencesTelomere end protectionN-terminal domainMammalian telomeresChromosome endsTelomeric complexNucleoprotein complexesMutagenesis analysisEnd protectionDNA sequencesLike domainHeterodimer bindsTIN2Functional analysisMolecular mechanismsTRF2TPP1Stable assemblyEssential roleTRF1TelomeresStructural insights into POT1-TPP1 interaction and POT1 C-terminal mutations in human cancer
Chen C, Gu P, Wu J, Chen X, Niu S, Sun H, Wu L, Li N, Peng J, Shi S, Fan C, Huang M, Wong CC, Gong Q, Kumar-Sinha C, Zhang R, Pusztai L, Rai R, Chang S, Lei M. Structural insights into POT1-TPP1 interaction and POT1 C-terminal mutations in human cancer. Nature Communications 2017, 8: 14929. PMID: 28393832, PMCID: PMC5394241, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14929.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsConserved SequenceDNA DamageDNA Mutational AnalysisDNA RepairGenomic InstabilityHumansMiceModels, MolecularMolecular ChaperonesMutationNeoplasmsPhosphoproteinsProstaglandin-E SynthasesProtein BindingProtein Structure, SecondaryScattering, Small AngleShelterin ComplexStructure-Activity RelationshipTelomere-Binding ProteinsX-Ray DiffractionConceptsTelomerase-mediated telomere extensionHuman cancersDNA damage responseC-terminal mutationsOB foldsHuman POT1Chromosome endsGenome instabilityPOT1-TPP1Telomere extensionDamage responseStable heterodimerA-NHEJStructural insightsC-terminusInappropriate repairTPP1POT1Heart-shaped structureMissense mutationsTerminal portionMutationsDomainMutantsTelomeresCytogenetic Analysis of Telomere Dysfunction
Rai R, Multani AS, Chang S. Cytogenetic Analysis of Telomere Dysfunction. Methods In Molecular Biology 2017, 1587: 127-131. PMID: 28324504, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6892-3_12.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsProbing the Telomere Damage Response
Rai R, Chang S. Probing the Telomere Damage Response. Methods In Molecular Biology 2017, 1587: 133-138. PMID: 28324505, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6892-3_13.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTelomere dysfunctionDNA damage response signalsDNA damage repair pathwaysTelomere damage responseΓ-H2AXDamage repair pathwaysCheckpoint sensorNbs1 complexReplicative attritionMre11-Rad50Shelterin componentsDamage responseTelomeric DNADysfunctional telomeresRepair pathwaysDownstream effectorsComplete deletionTelomeresDNAPathwayTRF2Chk2Chk1KinaseEffectors
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