Decoding Chromatin Replication: 
From Epigenetic Inheritance to Cell Fate Decisions

      Li lab investigates the molecular mechanisms governing chromatin replication and its critical role in epigenetic inheritance, genome stability, and cell fate determination. We focus on how parental histones—carrying epigenetic information—are recycled and transferred to newly synthesized DNA during replication, ensuring faithful propagation of chromatin states. Using budding yeast and mammalian models, we explore the dynamic interplay between the DNA replication machinery (replisome) and histone chaperones (e.g., FACT, CAF-1, Rtt106) to elucidate how nucleosome assembly is tightly coupled to DNA synthesis. Key discoveries include identifying RPA as a dual-function factor in replication and chromatin assembly, defining FACT as a central player in parental histone recycling, and uncovering the first RPA chaperone, Rtt105. Additionally, we study how chromatin replication factors, such as FACT, regulate transcriptional programs and pluripotency transitions in stem cells. By integrating structural biology, genomics, and live-cell imaging, our work bridges fundamental mechanisms with implications for cancer, aging, and developmental disorders.