Staff Profile

Area of expertise

DNA topoisomerase II including its biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, molecular pharmacology and its role in transcriptional regulation.

Qualifications

1979-1982 BSc Biochemistry, University of London (Chelsea College)

1993-1986 PhD Molecular Biology, University of London(University College)

1996 Certificate in Teaching and Learning, Newcastle University

Previous Positions

1986-1992 Postdoctoral position, University of London (St Georges)

1992 (May-Nov) Visiting Scholar, Harvard University

1993-1999 Lecturer, Newcastle University

1999-2005 Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University

2005-2025 Professor of Molecular Biology, Newcastle University

Several working visits to laboratories in the US including Harvard (Cambridge), University Oregon (Eugene), North-western University (Evanston), Mayo Clinic (Rochester) 

 Google scholar: Click here.

Postgraduate Supervision

24 PhD students submitted their PhDs within the 4 year deadline.

• Articles

  • Kubes J, Karabanovich G, Cong ATQ, Melnikova I, Lencova O, Kollarova P, Bavlovic Piskackova H, Kerestes V, Applova L, Arrouye LCM, Alvey JR, Paluncic J, Witter TL, Jirkovska A, Kunes J, Sterbova-Kovarikova P, Austin CA, Sterba M, Simunek T, Roh J, Schellenberg MJ. Topobexin targets the Topoisomerase II ATPase domain for beta isoform-selective inhibition and anthracycline cardioprotection. Nature Communications 2025, 16(1), 4928.
  • Cowell IG, Austin CA. Myeloperoxidase inhibition protects bone marrow mononuclear cells from DNA damage induced by the TOP2 poison anti-cancer drug etoposide. FEBS Open Bio 2024, 14(6), 1001-1010.
  • Keresteš V, Kubeš J, Applová L, Kollárová P, Lenčová-Popelová O, Melnikova I, Karabanovich G, Khazeem MM, Bavlovič Piskáčková H, Štěrbová-Kovaříková P, Austin CA, Roh J, Štěrba M, Šimůnek T, Jirkovská A. Exploring the effects of topoisomerase II inhibitor XK469 on anthracycline cardiotoxicity and DNA damage. Toxicological Sciences 2024, 198(2), 288–302.
  • Menger KE, Chapman J, Díaz-Maldonado H, Khazeem MM, Deen D, Erdinc D, Casement JW, Di Leo V, Pyle A, Rodríguez-Luis A, Cowell IG, Falkenberg M, Austin CA, Nicholls TJ. Two type I topoisomerases maintain DNA topology in human mitochondria. Nucleic Acids Research 2022, gkac857.
  • Khazeem mm, Casement JW, Scholssmacher G, Kenneth NS, Sumbung NK, Chan JYT, McGow JF, Cowell IG, Austin CA. TOP2B Is Required to Maintain the Adrenergic Neural Phenotype and for ATRA‑Induced Differentiation of SH‑SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells. Molecular Neurobiology 2022, 59.
  • Broderick L, Blum RH, Clay GC, Liu Y, McVicar R, Papes F, Boosherhi LM, Cowell IG, Austin CA, Putnam CD, Kaufman DS. Disease-associated Mutations in Topoisomerase IIβ Result in Defective NK cells. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2022, 149(6), 2171-2176.e3.
  • Ling EM, Baslé A, Cowell IG, van den Berg B, Blower TR, Austin CA. A comprehensive structural analysis of the ATPase domain of Human DNA topoisomerase II Beta bound to AMPPNP, ADP and the bisdioxopiperazine, ICRF193. Structure 2022, 30(8), 1129-1145.e3.
  • Jirkovska A, Karabanovich G, Kubes J, Skalicka V, Melnikova I, Korabecny J, Kucera T, Jirkovsky E, Novakova L, Bavlovic Piskackova H, Skoda J, Sterba M, Austin CA, Simunek T, Roh J. Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Dexrazoxane Analogues Reveals ICRF-193 as the Most Potent Bisdioxopiperazine against Anthracycline Toxicity to Cardiomyocytes Due to Its Strong Topoisomerase IIβ Interactions. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2021, 64(7), 3997-4019.
  • Swan RL, Cowell IG, Austin CA. A role for VCP/p97 in the processing of drug-stabilized TOP2-DNA covalent complexes. Molecular Pharmacology 2021, 100(1), 57-62.
  • Khazeem MM, Cowell IG, Harkin LF, Casement JW, Austin CA. Transcription of carbonyl reductase 1 is regulated by DNA topoisomerase II beta. FEBS Letters 2020, 594(20), 3395-3405.
  • Swan R, Poh L, Cowell IG, Austin CA. Small molecule inhibitors confirm ubiquitin-dependent removal of TOP2-DNA covalent complexes. Molecular pharmacology 2020, 98(2), 118893.
  • Cowell IG, Ling EM, Swan RL, Brooks MLW, Austin CA. The Deubiquitinating Enzyme Inhibitor PR-619 is a Potent DNA Topoisomerase II Poison s. Molecular Pharmacology 2019, 96(5), 562–572.
  • Broderick L, Yost S, Li D, McGeough MD, Booshehri LM, Guaderrama M, Brydges SD, Kucharova K, Patel NC, Harr M, Hakonarson H, Zackai E, Cowell IG, Austin CA, Hugle B, Gebauer C, Zhang J, Xu X, Wang J, Croker BA, Frazer KA, Putnam CD, Hoffman HM. Mutations in topoisomerase IIβ result in a B cell immunodeficiency. Nature Communications 2019, 10(1), 3644.
  • Atwal M, Swan RL, Rowe C, Lee KC, Lee DC, Armstrong L, Cowell IG, Austin CA. Intercalating TOP2 poisons attenuate topoisomerase action at higher concentrations. Molecular Pharmacology 2019, 96(4), 475-484.
  • Blower TR, Bandak A, Lee ASY, Austin CA, Nitiss JL, Berger JM. A complex suite of loci and elements in eukaryotic type II topoisomerases determine selective sensitivity to distinct poisoning agents. Nucleic Acid Research 2019, 47(15), 8163-8179.
  • Lee KC, Swan RL, Sondka Z, Padget K, Cowell IG, Austin CA. Effect of TDP2 on the level of TOP2-DNA complexes and SUMOylated TOP2-DNA complexes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 19(7), 2056.
  • Manohar M, Choi HW, Manosalva P, Austin CA, Peters JE, Klessig DF. Plant and Human MORC Proteins Have DNA-Modifying Activities Similar to Type II Topoisomerases, but Require One or More Additional Factors for Full Activity. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 2017, 30(2), 87-100.
  • Atwal M, Lishman EL, Austin CA, Cowell IG. Myeloperoxidase Enhances Etoposide and Mitoxantrone-Mediated DNA Damage: A Target for Myeloprotection in Cancer Chemotherapy. Molecular Pharmacology 2017, 91(1), 49-57.
  • Lee KC, Bramley RL, Cowell IG, Jackson GH, Austin CA. Proteasomal inhibition potentiates drugs targeting DNA topoisomerase II. Biochemical Pharmacology 2016, 103, 29-39.
  • Harkin LF, Gerrelli D, Diaz DCG, Santos C, Alzu'bi A, Austin CA, Clowry GJ. Distinct expression patterns for type II topoisomerases IIA and IIB in the early foetal human telencephalon. Journal of Anatomy 2016, 228(3), 452-463.
  • Manville CM, Smith K, Sondka Z, Rance H, Cockell S, Cowell IG, Lee KC, Morris NJ, Padget K, Jackson GH, Austin CA. Genome-wide ChIP-seq analysis of human TOP2B occupancy in MCF7 breast cancer epithelial cells. Biology Open 2015, 4(11), 1436-1447.
  • Mariani A, Bartoli A, Atwal M, Lee KC, Austin CA, Rodriguez R. Differential Targeting of Human Topoisomerase II Isoforms with Small Molecules. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2015, 58(11), 4851-4856.
  • Ben-David U, Cowell IG, Austin CA, Benvenisty N. Brief Reports: Controlling the Survival of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by Small Molecule-Based Targeting of Topoisomerase II Alpha. Stem Cells 2015, 33(3), 1013-1019.
  • Smith KA, Cowell IG, Zhang YM, Sondka Z, Austin CA. The role of topoisomerase II beta on breakage and proximity of RUNX1 to partner alleles RUNX1T1 and EVI1. Genes Chromosomes & Cancer 2014, 53(2), 117-128.
  • Bau JT, Kang ZL, Austin CA, Kurz EU. Salicylate, a Catalytic Inhibitor of Topoisomerase II, Inhibits DNA Cleavage and Is Selective for the alpha Isoform. Molecular Pharmacology 2014, 85(2), 198-207.
  • Best A, James K, Dalgliesh C, Hong EA, Kheirolahi-Kouhestani M, Curk T, Xu Y, Danilenko M, Hussain R, Keavney B, Wipat A, Klinck R, Cowell IG, Cheong Lee K, Austin C, Venables JP, Chabot B, Santibanez Koref M, Tyson-Capper AJ, Elliott DJ. Human Tra2 proteins jointly control a CHEK1 splicing switch among alternative and constitutive target exons. Nature Communications 2014, 5, 4760.
  • Shapiro AB, Austin CA. A high-throughput fluorescence anisotropy-based assay for human topoisomerase II β-catalyzed ATP-dependent supercoiled DNA relaxation. Analytical Biochemistry 2014, 448, 23-29.
  • Calderon-Montano JM, Burgos-Moron E, Orta ML, Pastor N, Austin CA, Mateos S, Lopez-Lazaro M. Alpha, beta-unsaturated lactones 2-furanone and 2-pyrone induce cellular DNA damage, formation of topoisomerase I- and II-DNA complexes and cancer cell death. Toxicology Letters 2013, 222(1), 64-71.
  • Wendorff TJ, Schmidt BH, Heslop P, Austin CA, Berger JM. The Structure of DNA-Bound Human Topoisomerase II Alpha: Conformational Mechanisms for Coordinating Inter-Subunit Interactions with DNA Cleavage. Journal of Molecular Biology 2012, 424(3-4), 109-124.
  • Burgos-Moron E, Calderon-Montano JM, Orta ML, Pastor N, Perez-Guerrero C, Austin C, Mateos S, Lopez-Lazaro M. The Coffee Constituent Chlorogenic Acid Induces Cellular DNA Damage and Formation of Topoisomerase I- and II-DNA Complexes in Cells. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2012, 60(30), 7384-7391.
  • Lee KC, Padget K, Curtis Hannah, Cowell IG, Moiani D, Sondka Z, Morris NK, Jackson GH, Cockell SJ, Tainer JA, Austin CA. MRE11 facilitates the removal of human topoisomerase II complexes from genomic DNA. Biology Open 2012, 1(9), 863-873.
  • Cowell IG, Sondka Z, Smith K, Lee KC, Manville CM, Sidorczuk-Lesthuruge M, Rance HA, Padget K, Jackson GH, Adachi N, Austin CA. Model for MLL translocations in therapy-related leukemia involving topoisomerase IIβ-mediated DNA strand breaks and gene proximity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2012, 109(23), 8989-8994.
  • Calderon-Montano JM, Burgos-Moron E, Orta ML, Pastor N, Perez-Guerrero C, Austin CA, Mateos S, Lopez-Lazaro M. Guanidine-reactive agent phenylglyoxal induces DNA damage and cancer cell death. Pharmacological Reports 2012, 64(6), 1515-1525.
  • Gilroy KL, Austin CA. The Impact of the C-Terminal Domain on the Interaction of Human DNA Topoisomerase II alpha and beta with DNA. PLoS ONE 2011, 6(2), e14693.
  • Meyer-Ficca ML, Lonchar JD, Ihara M, Meistrich ML, Austin CA, Meyer RG. Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerases PARP1 and PARP2 Modulate Topoisomerase II Beta (TOP2B) Function During Chromatin Condensation in Mouse Spermiogenesis. Biology of Reproduction 2011, 84(5), 900-909.
  • Cowell IG, Papageorgiou N, Padget K, Watters GP, Austin CA. Histone deacetylase inhibition redistributes topoisomerase IIβ from heterochromatin to euchromatin. Nucleus 2011, 2(1), 61-71.
  • Lopez-Lazaro M, Calderon-Montano JM, Burgos-Moron E, Austin CA. Green tea constituents (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and gallic acid induce topoisomerase I- and topoisomerase II-DNA complexes in cells mediated by pyrogallol-induced hydrogen peroxide. Mutagenesis 2011, 26(4), 489-498.
  • Lopez-Lazaro M, Willmore E, Austin CA. The dietary flavonoids myricetin and fisetin act as dual inhibitors of DNA topoisomerases I and II in cells. Mutation Research - Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 2010, 696(1), 41-47.
  • Watters GP, Smart DJ, Harvey JS, Austin CA. H2AX phosphorylation as a genotoxicity endpoint. Mutation Research - Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 2009, 679(1-2), 50-58.
  • Meczes EL, Gilroy KL, West K, Austin CA. The impact of the human DNA topoisomerse II C-terminal domain on activity. PLoS ONE 2008, 3(3), e1754.
  • López-Lázaro M, Willmore E, Elliott SL, Austin CA. Selenite induces topoisomerase I and II-DNA complexes in K562 leukemia cells. International Journal of Cancer 2008, 123(9), 2217-2221.
  • Toyoda E, Kagaya S, Cowell IG, Kurosawa A, Kamoshita K, Nishikawa K, Iiizumi S, Koyama H, Austin CA, Adachi N. NK314, a Topoisomerase II inhibitor that specifically targets the α isoform. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2008, 283(35), 23711-23720.
  • Jobson, A., Willmore, E., Tilby, M.J., Mistry, P., Charlton, P, Austin, C. Effect of phenazine compounds XR11576 and XR5944 on DNA topoisomerases. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology 2008, 63(5), 1-13.
  • Willmore E, Elliott SL, Mainou-Fowler T, Summerfield GP, Jackson GH, O'Neill F, Lowe C, Carter A, Harris R, Pettitt AR, Cano-Soumillac C, Griffin RJ, Cowell IG, Austin CA, Durkacz BW. DNA-dependent protein kinase is a therapeutic target and an indicator of poor prognosis in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Clinical Cancer Research 2008, 14(12), 3984-3992.
  • Cowell I, Sunter NJ, Singh PB, Austin CA, Durkacz BW, Tilby MJ. γH2AX foci form preferentially in euchromatin after ionising-radiation. PLoS ONE 2007, 2(10), e1057.
  • Leontiou C, Watters GP, Gilroy KL, Heslop P, Cowell IG, Craig K, Lightowlers RN, Lakey JH, Austin CA. Differential selection of acridine resistance mutations in human DNA topoisomerase II beta is dependent on the acridine structure. Molecular Pharmacology 2007, 71(4), 1006-1014.
  • López-Lázaro M, Willmore E, Jobson AG, Gilroy KL, Curtis H, Padget K, Austin CA. Curcumin induces high levels of topoisomerase I- and II-DNA complexes in K562 leukemia cells. Journal of Natural Products 2007, 70(12), 1884-1888.
  • López-Lázaro, M., Willmore, E., Austin, C. A. Cells lacking DNA topoisomerase IIβ are resistant to genistein. Journal of Natural Products 2007, 70(5), 763-767.
  • Szekvolgyi L, Hegedus E, Molnar M, Bacso Z, Szarka K, Beck Z, Dombradi V, Austin C, Szabo G. Nick-forming sequences may be involved in the organization of eukaryotic chromatin into ∼50 kbp loops. Histochemistry and Cell Biology 2006, 125(1-2), 63-73.
  • Leontiou C, Lakey JH, Lightowlers R, Turnbull RM, Austin CA. Mutation P732L in human DNA topoisomerase II abolishes DNA cleavage in the presence of calcium and confers drug resistance. Molecular Pharmacology 2006, 69(1), 130-139.
  • Gilroy KL, Leontiou C, Padget K, Lakey JH, Austin CA. mAMSA resistant human topoisomerase IIβ mutation G465D has reduced ATP hydrolysis activity. Nucleic Acids Research 2006, 34(5), 1597-1607.
  • Lopez-Lazaro M, Pastor N, Azrak SS, Ayuso MJ, Cortes F, Austin CA. Digitoxin, at concentrations commonly found in the plasma of cardiac patients, antagonizes etoposide and idarubicin activity in K562 leukemia cells. Leukemia Research 2006, 30(7), 895-898.
  • Smith LM, Willmore E, Austin C, Curtin NJ. The novel poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, AG14361 sensitizes cells to topoisomerase I poisons by increasing the persistence of DNA strand breaks. Clinical Cancer Research 2005, 11(23), 8449-8457.
  • Lopez-Lazaro M, Pastor N, Azrak SS, Ayuso MJ, Austin CA, Cortes F. Digitoxin inhibits the growth of cancer cell lines at concentrations commonly found in cardiac patients. Journal of Natural Products 2005, 68(11), 1642-1645.
  • Leontiou C, Lakey JH, Austin CA. Mutation E522K in human DNA topoisomerase IIβ confers resistance to methyl N-(4′-(9-acridinylamino)-phenyl)carbamate hydrochloride and methyl N-(4′-(9-acridinylamino)-3-methoxy-phenyl) methane sulfonamide but hypersensitivity to etoposide. Molecular Pharmacology 2004, 66(3), 430-439.
  • Errington, F., Willmore, E., Leontiou, C., Tilby, M., Austin, C. Differences in the longevity of topo IIα and topo IIβ drug-stabilized cleavable complexes and the relationship to drug sensitivity. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology 2004, 53(2), 155-162.
  • Willmore, E., De Caux, S., Sunter, N., Tilby, M.J., Jackson, G., Austin, C., Durkacz, B.W. A novel DNA-dependent protein kinase inhibitor, NU7026, potentiates the cytotoxicity of topoisomerase II poisons used in the treatment of leukemia. Blood 2004, 103(12), 4659-4665.
  • Montgomery S, Shaw L, Pantelides N, Taggart MJ, Austin C. The acute effects of oestrogen receptor subtype-specific agonists on vascular contractility. British Journal of Pharmacology 2003, 139(7), 1249-1253.
  • Khan QA, Kohlhagen G, Marshall R, Austin CA, Kalena GP, Kroth H, Sayer JM, Jerina DM, Pommier Y. Position-specific trapping of topoisomerase II by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide adducts: Implications for interactions with intercalating anticancer agents. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2003, 100(21), 12498-12503.
  • Leontiou C, Lightowlers R, Lakey JH, Austin CA. Kinetic analysis of human topoisomerase IIα and β DNA binding by surface plasmon resonance. FEBS Letters 2003, 554(1-2), 206-210.
  • Shaw L, Ahmed S, Austin C, Taggart MJ. Inhibitors of Actin Filament Polymerisation Attenuate Force but not Global [Ca2+]i in Isolated Pressurised Resistance Arteries. Journal of Vascular Research 2003, 40(1), 1-10.
  • Pors, K., Paniwnyk, Z., Teesdale-Spittle, P., Plumb, J. A., Willmore, E., Austin, C. A., Patterson, L. H. Alchemix: A novel alkylating anthraquinone with potent activity against anthracycline- and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2003, 2(7), 607-610.
  • Solovyan VT, Bezvenyuk ZA, Salminen A, Austin CA, Courtney MJ. The role of topoisomerase II in the excision of DNA loop domains during apoptosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2002, 277(24), 21458-21467.
  • Meczes, E., Pearson, A.D.J., Austin, C.A., Tilby, M.J. Schedule-dependent response of neuroblastoma cell lines to combinations of etoposide and cisplatin. British Journal of Cancer 2002, 86(3), 485-489.
  • Willmore, E., Errington, F., Tilby, M.J., Austin, C.A. Formation and longevity of idarubicin-induced DNA topoisomerase II cleavable complexes in K562 human leukaemia cells. Biochemical Pharmacology 2002, 63(10), 1807-1815.
  • West, K. L., Turnbull, R. M., Willmore, E., Lakey, J. H., Austin, C. A. Characterisation of the DNA-dependent ATPase activity of human DNA topoisomerase IIß: mutation of Ser165 in the ATPase domain reduces the ATPase activity and abolishes the in vivo complementation ability. Nucleic Acids Research 2002, 30(24), 5416-5424.
  • Johnson CA, Padget K, Austin CA, Turner BM. Deacetylase activity associates with topoisomerase II and is necessary for etoposide-induced apoptosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2001, 276(7), 4539-4542.
  • Padget K, Pearson AD, Austin CA. Quantitation of DNA topoisomerase IIalpha and beta in human leukaemia cells by immunoblotting. Leukemia 2000, 14(11), 1997-2005.
  • Padget K, Pearson ADJ, Austin CA. Quantitation of DNA topoisomerase II alpha and beta in human leukaemia cells by immunoblotting. Leukemia 2000, 14(11), 1997-2005.
  • Patel S, Jazrawi E, Creighton AM, Austin CA, Fisher LM. Probing the interaction of the cytotoxic bisdioxopiperazine ICRF-193 with the closed enzyme clamp of human topoisomerase II alpha. Molecular Pharmacology 2000, 58(3), 560-568.
  • West KL, Meczes EL, Thorn R, Turnbull RM, Marshall R, Austin CA. Mutagenesis of E477 or K505 in the B' domain of human topoisomerase IIβ increases the requirement for magnesium ions during strand passage. Biochemistry 2000, 39(6), 1223-1233.
  • De Martino S, Yan YL, Jowett T, Postlethwait JH, Varga ZM, Ashworth A, Austin CA. Expression of sox11 gene duplicates in zebrafish suggests the reciprocal loss of ancestral gene expression patterns in development. Developmental Dynamics 2000, 217(3), 279-292.
  • Padget K, Carr R, Pearson ADJ, Tilby MJ, Austin C. Camptothecin-stabilised topoisomerase I-DNA complexes in leukaemia cells visualised and quantified in situ by the TARDIS assay (trapped in agarose DNA immunostaining). Biochemical Pharmacology 2000, 59(6), 629-638.
  • Padget, K., Stewart, A., Charlton, P., Tilby, M.J., Austin, C.A. An investigation into the formation of N- [2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA) and 6-[2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino]- 3-hydroxy-7H-indeno[2,1-C]quinolin-7-one dihydrochloride (TAS-103) stabilised DNA topoisomerase I and II cleavable complexes in human leukaemia cells. Biochemical Pharmacology 2000, 60(6), 817-821.
  • De Martino SP, Errington F, Ashworth A, Jowett T, Austin CA. sox30: a novel zebrafish sox gene expressed in a restricted manner at the midbrain-hindbrain boundary during neurogenesis. Development, Genes and Evolution 1999, 209(6), 357-362.
  • Errington F, Willmore E, Tilby MJ, Li L, Li G, Li W, Baguley B, Austin CA. Murine transgenic cells lacking DNA topoisomerase IIβ are resistant to acridines and mitoxantrone: Analysis of cytotoxicity and cleavable complex formation. Molecular Pharmacology 1999, 56(6), 1309-1316.
  • Sng JH, Heaton VJ, Bell M, Maini P, Austin CA, Fisher LM. Molecular cloning and characterization of the human topoisomerase II alpha and II beta genes: evidence for isoform evolution through gene duplication. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Structure and Expression 1999, 1444(3), 395-406.
  • West KL, Austin CA. Human DNA topoisomerase II beta binds and cleaves four-way junction DNA in vitro. Nucleic Acids Research 1999, 27(4), 984-992.
  • Turnbull RM, Meczes EL, Rogers MP, Lock RB, Sullivan DM, Finlay GJ, Baguley BC, Austin CA. Carbamate analogues of amsacrine active against non-cycling cells: Relative activity against topoisomerases IIα and β. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology 1999, 44(4), 275-282.
  • Cowell IG, Willmore E, Chalton DA, Marsh KL, Jazrawi E, Fisher LM, Austin CA. Nuclear distribution of human DNA topoisomerase IIβ: A nuclear targeting signal resides in the 116-residue C-terminal tail. Experimental Cell Research 1998, 243(2), 232-240.
  • M. Binaschi, R. Farinosi, C. A. Austin, L. M. Fisher, F. Zunino and G. Capranico. Human DNA topoisomerase II alpha-dependent DNA cleavage and yeast cell killing by anthracycline analogues. Cancer Research 1998, 58, 1886-1892.
  • C. A. Austin and K. L. Marsh. Eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase II beta. Bioessays 1998, 20, 215-226.
  • Willmore, E., Frank, A., Padget, K., Tilby, M.J., Austin, C.A. Etoposide targets topoisomerase IIα and IIβ in leukemic cells: Isoform-specific cleavable complexes visualized and quantified in situ by a novel immunofluorescence technique. Molecular Pharmacology 1998, 54(1), 78-85.
  • C. A. Austin. Survey of final-year undergraduate laboratory projects in biochemistry and related degrees in Great Britain. Biochemical Education 1997, 25, 12-14.
  • Cowell I.G. and Austin C.A. Self-association of chromodomain peptides. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1997, 1307, 239-247.
  • Cowell IG, Austin CA. Self-association of chrome domain peptides. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Protein Structure and Molecular Enzymology 1997, 1337(2), 198-206.
  • Meczes EL, Marsh KL, Fisher LM, Rogers MP, Austin CA. Complementation of temperature-sensitive topoisomerase II mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a human TOP2β construct allows the study of topoisomerase IIβ inhibitors in yeast. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology 1997, 39(4), 367-375.
  • R. Ishida, M. Iwai, K. L. Marsh, C. A. Austin, T. Yano, M. Shibata, N. Nozaki and A. Hara. Threonine 1342 in human topoisomerase II alpha is phosphorylated throughout the cell cycle. Journal of Biological Chemistry 1996, 271, 30077-30082.
  • Bigioni, M., Zunino, F., Tinelli, S., Austin, C. A., Willmore, E., Capranico, G. Position-specific effects of base mismatch on mammalian topoisomerase II DNA cleaving activity. Biochemistry 1996, 35(1), 153-159.
  • Cornarotti, M., Tinelli, S., Willmore, E., Zunino, F., Fisher, L. M., Austin, C. A., Capranico, G. Drug sensitivity and sequence specificity of human recombinant DNA topoisomerases IIα (p170) and IIβ (p180). Molecular Pharmacology 1996, 50(6), 1463-1471.
  • D. W. J. Zandvliet, A. M. Hanby, C. A. Austin, K. L. Marsh, I. B. N. Clark, N. A. Wright and R. Poulsom. Analysis of foetal expression sites of human type II DNA topoisomerase alpha and beta mRNAs by in situ hybridisation. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Gene Structure and Expression 1996, 1307, 239-247.
  • Marsh, K. L., Willmore, E., Tinelli, S., Cornarotti, M., Meczes, E., Capranico, G., Fisher, L. M., Austin, C. A. Amsacrine-promoted DNA cleavage site determinants for the two human DNA topoisomerase II isoforms α and β. Biochemical Pharmacology 1996, 52(11), 1675-1685.
  • Austin CA, Marsh KL, Wasserman RA, Willmore E, Sayer PJ, Wang JC, Fisher LM. Expression, domain structure and enzymatic properties of an active recombinant human DNA topoisomerase II beta. Journal of Biological Chemistry 1995, 270(26), 15739-15746.
  • R.A.Wasserman, C.A.Austin, L.M.Fisher and J.C.Wang. The use of yeast in the study of anticancer drugs targeting DNA topoisomerases: Expression of a functional recombinant human DNA topoisomerase IIalpha in Yeast. Cancer Research 1993, 53, 3591-3596.
  • C.A.Austin, J.H.Sng, S.Patel and L.M.Fisher. Novel HeLa topoisomerase II is the IIß isoform: complete coding sequence and homology with other type II topoisomerases. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1993, 1172, 283-291.
  • L.M.Fisher, C.A Austin, R.Hopewell, E.E.C.Margerrison, M.Oram, S.Patel, J.Sng and S.Sreedharan. DNA Supercoiling and relaxation by the ATP dependent DNA topoisomerases. Phil.Trans.Royal Society 1992, 336, 83-91.
  • G.Capranico, S.Tinelli, C.A.Austin, M.Fisher and F.Zunino. Different Patterns of Gene Expression of DNA Topoisomerase II Isoenzymes in Differentiated Tissues during Murine Development. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1992, 1132, 43-48.
  • C.A.Austin, S.Patel, K.Ono, H.Nakane and L.M.Fisher. Baicalein and related cytotoxic flavonoids unwind DNA and are novel inducers of topoisomerase II mediated DNA cleavage. Biochemical Journal 1992, 282, 883-889.
  • C.A.Austin, H.Barot, E.Margerrison, G.Turcatti, P.Wingfield, M.Hayes and L.M.Fisher. Structure and partial amino acid sequence of calf thymus DNA topo II: Comparison with other type II enzymes. BBRC 1990, 170, 763-768.
  • C.A.Austin and L.M.Fisher. Isolation and characterisation of a human cDNA clone encoding a novel DNA topoisomerase II homologue from HeLa cells. FEBS Letters 1990, 266, 115-117.
  • C.A.Austin and L.M.Fisher. DNA topoisomerases: Enzymes that change the shape of DNA. Science Progress 1990, 74, 147-162.
  • R.Kuroda, E.Takahashi, C.A.Austin and L.M.Fisher (1990). DNA binding and intercalation by novel porphyrins: role of charge and substituents probed by DNase I footprinting and topo I unwinding. FEBS Letters 1990, 262, 293-298.
  • S.Patel, C.A.Austin and L.M.Fisher. Development and properties of a human leukemic cell line resistant to the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide. Anti-Cancer Drug Design 1990, 5, 149-157.
  • M.E.Cullen, A.W.Wyke, F.McEachern, C.A.Austin and L.M.Fisher. Inhibition of DNA gyrase: bacterial sensitivity and clinical resistance to 4-quinolones. Current Topics in Infectious Diseases 1989, 2, 41-47.
  • C.A.Austin, E.A.Shephard, S.F.Pike, B.R.Rabin and I.R.Phillips. The effect of terpenoid compounds on cytochrome P450 levels in rat liver. Biochem. Pharmacol 1988, 37, 2223-2229.
  • E.A.Shephard, I.R.Phillips, A.Ashworth, J.S.Ferrie, L.A.Forrest, D.R.Bell, S.Thompson and C.A.Austin. Structure and expression of genes encoding for components of the cyt P450 mediated monooxygenase. Biochem. Soc. Trans 1987, 15, 573-575.

• Book Chapters

  • Cowell IG, Austin CA. Visualization and quantification of topoisomerase–DNA covalent complexes using the trapped in agarose immunostaining (TARDIS) assay. In: DNA Topoisomerases: Methods and Protocols. New York: Humana Press, 2018, pp.301-316.
  • Smith KA, Cowell IG, Austin CA. Topoisomerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation. In: DNA Topoisomerases: Methods and Protocols. New York: Humana Press, 2018, pp.183-189.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Smeaton MB, Bell EH, Austin CA, Deterding LJ, Tomer KB, Hanawalt PC, Miller PS. TopoisomeraseII beta Is Involved in Initiation of Interstrand Cross-Link Repair in Mammals. In: Environmental Mutagenesis and Genomics Society 45th Annual Meeting. 2014, Orlando, FL, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Manville CM, Austin CA. Topoisomerase II alpha sites of occupancy on human chromosome 22. In: Mutagenesis: 34th Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2012, Nottingham: Oxford University Press.
  • Austin CA. Model for generation of chromosomal translocations in leukaemia. In: Mutagenesis: 31st Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2009, University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • McComb CM, Hastwell PW, Austin CA, Rees RW, Lynch AM. Kinases as therapeutic agents: a new potential genetic toxicology liability. In: Mutagenesis: 32nd Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2009, University of Leeds, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • McComb CM, Hastwell PW, Austin CA, Rees RW, Lynch AM. Investigations into kinase associated genotoxicity. In: Mutagenesis: 31st Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2009, University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Watters GP, Harvey JS, Austin CA. Evaluating the gamma H2AX focus assay to assess genotoxicity. In: Mutagenesis: 31st Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2009, University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Watters GP, Harvey JS, Austin CA. Is H2AX phosphorylation a biomarker for genotoxicity?. In: Mutagenesis: 30th Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2007, University of Cardiff, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • McComb CM, Clark EL, Padget K, Harvey J, Morris NJ, Austin CA. Bioinformatic analysis of topoisomerase II binding sites. In: 30th Annual Meeting of the United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society. 2007, University of Cardiff, UK: Mutagenesis: Oxford University Press.
  • Leontiou C, Gilroy KL, Watters G, Austin CA. Identifying drug-resistant mutations in human topoisomerase II beta using a forced molecular evolution approach. In: Anticancer Research: 7th International Conference of Anticancer Research. 2004, Corfu, Greece: International Institute of Anticancer Research.
  • Cabello OA, Eliseeva E, Ouspenski I, Coldwell I, Herbert F, Thang S, Austin CA, Brinkley BR, Plon S, Belmont JW. Cell cycle-dependent expression and subcellular localization of human barren-1 (HCAP-H). In: American Journal of Human Genetics. 1999, Cell Press.

• Reviews

  • Cowell IG, Casement JW, Austin CA. To Break or Not to Break: The Role of TOP2B in Transcription. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2023, 24(19), 14806.
  • Cowell IG, Austin CA. DNA fragility at the KMT2A/MLL locus: insights from old and new technologies. Open Biology 2023, 13(1), 220232.
  • Swan RL, Cowell IG, Austin CA. Mechanisms to Repair Stalled Topoisomerase II-DNA Covalent Complexes. Molecular Pharmacology 2022, 101(1), 24-32.
  • Austin CA, Cowell IG, Khazeem MM, Lok D, Ng HT. TOP2B’s contributions to transcription. Biochemical Society Transactions 2021.
  • Austin CA, Lee KC, Swan RL, Khazeem MM, Manville CM, Cridland P, Treumann A, Porter A, Morris NJ, Cowell IG. TOP2B: The first thirty years. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 19(9), 2765.
  • Cowell IG, Austin CA. Mechanism of Generation of Therapy Related Leukemia in Response to Anti-Topoisomerase II Agents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2012, 9(6), 2075-2091.
  • Cowell IG, Tilby MJ, Austin CA. An overview of the visualisation and quantitation of low and high MW DNA adducts using the trapped in agarose DNA immunostaining (TARDIS) assay. Mutagenesis 2011, 26(2), 253-260.