Wulan Deng, Ph D
Research group for dynamic imaging of transcriptional regulation
Assistant Professor, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University
tel：
E-mail：wdeng@pku.edu.cn
Deng's lab focuses on developing live-cell single-molecule imaging, super-resolution microscopy, and quantitative analytical methods to investigate how transcription factors navigate the complex chromatin landscape to locate target sites, regulate chromatin accessibility, and modulate gene transcription through enhancer–promoter interactions and dynamic biomolecular assembly. The research centers on pioneer transcription factors, chromatin dynamics, transcriptional condensates, and cell fate regulation, aiming to establish a cross-scale understanding from single-molecule motion to gene expression function.
1. Novel Working Modes of Transcription Factors
Pioneer transcription factors possess the ability to bind nucleosomal targets, alter chromatin accessibility in an ATP-independent manner, guide the binding of other transcription factors, and change cell fate. They play critical roles in development, cancer, and cellular reprogramming. Scientific question: How does the key process of binding to silent, densely packaged chromatin occur, distinguishing pioneer factors from general transcription factors?
2. In Situ Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Visualized Transcriptional Activation
The enhancer–promoter (E–P) chromatin looping model has been widely accepted over the past two decades as the working model for enhancers. However, the transcriptional phase separation model proposes that enhancers function through the formation of multi-protein transcriptional condensates. Scientific question: How can the conflict between these two models be resolved? How do E–P interactions and transcriptional phase separation occur within cells?
3. Novel Methods for Single-Molecule Localization and Dynamic Imaging
Single-molecule localization microscopy has pushed spatial resolution to 30 nm or below. Current methods record molecular trajectories across multiple frames to calculate diffusion characteristics, but they have both advantages and limitations. Scientific question: How can we achieve high spatial resolution, low-toxicity long-term imaging, and high-density recording of molecular diffusion characteristics in situ in living cells?
Niu D, Deng WL. (2026) Nucleosomes as active platforms for pioneer factor action. Molecular Cell 86: 2443–45.
Wang Z, Liu Y, Wang B, Liu X, Deng WL. (2025) Single-molecule localization and diffusivity microscopy reveals dynamic biomolecular organization in living cell. Nature Methods., 23: 1011-1023.
Wang Z, Wang B, Niu D, Yin C, Bi Y, Cattoglio C, Loh M, Lavis L, Ge H, Deng WL. (2025) Mesoscale chromatin confinement facilitates target search of pioneer transcription factors in live cells. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 32: 125-136.
Zhang J, Zhang K, Wang K, Wang B, Zhu S, Qian H, Ma Y, Zhang M, Liu T, Chen P, Shen Y, Fu Y, Fang S, Zhang X, Zou P, Deng WL, Mu Y, Chen Z. (2025) A palette of bridged bicycle-strengthened fluorophores. Nature Methods, 2025, 22: 1276-1278.
Ling J, Zhang Y, Hei Y, Kompa, J. Yang C, Wang B, Zhang J, Du J, Rudi T, Zhang K, Sun J, Wang W, Fabritz S, Li Y, Deng WL, Zou P, Chen C, Chen Z. (2025) Thioether editing generally increases the photostability of rhodamine dyes on self-labeling tags. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122: e2426354122.
Han X, Xing L, Hong Y, Zhang X, Hao B, Lu J, Huang M, Wang Z, Ma S, Zhan G, Li T, Hao X, Tao Y, Li G, Zhou S, Zheng Z, Shao W, Zeng Y, Ma D, Zhang W, Xie Z, Deng H, Yan J, Deng WL, Shen X. (2024) Nuclear RNA homeostasis promotes systems-level coordination of cell fate and senescence. Cell Stem Cell, 31: 694-716.
Wang Z, Deng WL. (2022) Dynamic transcription regulation at the single-molecule level. Developmental Biology, 482: 67-81.
Wang H, Li B, Zuo L, Wang B, Yan Y, Tian K, Zhou R, Wang C, Chen X, Jiang Y, Zheng H, Qin F, Zhang B, Yu Y, Liu CP, Xu Y, Gao J, Qi Z, Deng W, Ji X. (2022) The transcriptional coactivator RUVBL2 regulates Pol II clustering with perse transcription factors. Nat Communications, 13: 5703.
Ying Liu, Yunting Kou, Zuhui Wang, Di Niu, Yiwen Liu, Yiting Wang, YunJia Shu, Chenjia Wang, Shuang Hui, Kairui Guo
