Dr. Chen is the holder of the Bartell Zachry Memorial Distinguished Professorship for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, an Associate Professor with the Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, and an investigator with the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies.
Transcription factor condensates as storage
Lizhen Chen, Zhijie Liu
Nat Cell Biol. 2026 Jul;28(7):1349-1351. doi: 10.1038/s41556-026-01992-y.
The study shows that TEAD1 can form both active and inactive condensates. Small condensates at enhancers or promoters promote transcription, whereas large condensates at pericentromeric heterochromatin act as storage depots, buffering excess TEAD1 and adding a new layer of transcriptional regulation through spatial sequestration.