Welcome to the laboratory of Cynthia Wolberger, located in the Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry. Our research is focused on the structural and mechanistic basis of transcriptional regulation and ubiquitin signaling. We use a combination of cryo-EM, x-ray crystallography, and a variety of biophysical and biochemical approaches to gain insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying these processes. Please follow the links on this page to learn more about our research and lab members.

Prospective graduate students should visit the web sites of the Program in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology,  the Program in Molecular Biophysics, XDbio, or the Chemistry-Biology Interface Program.

Interested in a postdoctoral position? Please see the Contacts page for information.

Looking for a plasmid? Many of our plasmids are available through Addgene. Click here to see the list of available plasmids.

Wolberger lab statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Rahman S, Hoffmann NA, Worden EJ, Smith ML, Namitz KEW, Knutson BA, Cosgrove MS, Wolberger C. (2022) Multistate structures of the MLL1-WRAD complex bound to H2B-ubiquitinated nucleosome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 20;119(38):e220569111. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2205691119

Lombardi PM, Haile S, Rusanov T, Rodell R, Anoh R, Baer JG, Burke KA, Gray LN, Hacker AR, Kebreau KR, Ngandu CK, Orland HA, Osei-Asante E, Schmelyun DP, Shorb DE, Syed SH, Veilleux JM, Majumdar A, Mosammaparast N, Wolberger C. (2022) The ASCC2 CUE domain in the ALKBH3-ASCC DNA repair complex recognizes adjacent ubiquitins in K63-linked polyubiquitin. J Biol Chem. 28:101545. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101545.

Morgan MT, Ikenoue T, Suga H, Wolberger C. (2022) Potent macrocycle inhibitors of the human SAGA deubiquitinating module. Cell Chem Biol 29(4):544-554.e4  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.12.004

Worden EJ, Zhang X, Wolberger C. (2020) Structural basis for COMPASS recognition of an H2B-ubiquitinated nucleosome. eLife 9. pii: e53199. https://elifesciences.org/articles/53199

Worden EJ, Hoffmann NA, Hicks CW, Wolberger C. (2019) The mechanism of cross-talk between histone H2B ubiquitination and H3 methylation by Dot1L. Cell 176(6):1490-1501.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.002

Nune M, Morgan MT, Connell Z, McCullough L, Jbara M, Sun H, Brik A, Formosa T, Wolberger C. (2019) FACT and Ubp10 collaborate to modulate H2B deubiquitination and nucleosome dynamics. eLife,  eLife 8:e40988 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.40988

Morrow ME, Morgan MT, Clerici M, Growkova K, Yan M, Komander D, Sixma TK, Simicek M, Wolberger C. (2018) Active site alanine mutations convert deubiquitinases into high-affinity ubiquitin-binding proteins. EMBO Rep.  pii:e45680. doi: 10.15252/embr.201745680.

Brickner, Soll , Lombardi , Vågbø , Mudge, Oyeniran, Rabe , Jackson, Sullender, Blazosky, Byrum, Zhao, Corbett, Gécz, Field, Vindigni, Slupphaug, Wolberger, Mosammaparast (2017) A ubiquitin-dependent signalling axis specific for ALKBH-mediated DNA dealkylation repair. Nature 551: 389-393.

Morgan MT, Haj-Yahya M, Ringel AE, Bandi P, Brik A, Wolberger C (2016) Structural basis for histone H2B deubiquitination by the SAGA DUB module. Science 351:725-8.