Disulfide Tethering to Map Small Molecule Binding Sites Transcriptome-wide

ACS Chem Biol. 2024 Sep 20;19(9):2081-2086. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00538. Epub 2024 Aug 28.

Abstract

We report the development of Tether-seq, a transcriptome-wide screen to probe RNA-small molecule interactions using disulfide tethering. This technique uses s4U metabolic labeling to provide sites for reversible and covalent attachment of small molecule disulfides to the transcriptome. By screening under reducing conditions, we identify interactions that are stabilized by binding over those driven by the reactivity of the RNA sites. When applied to cellular RNA, Tether-seq with a disulfide analogue of risdiplam, an FDA-approved drug that targets RNA to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), revealed a number of potential binding sites, most prominently at a site within the cytochrome C oxidase 1 (COX1) transcript. Structure probing by SHAPE-MaP revealed a structured motif and confirmed binding to the lead molecule. This work demonstrates that these screens have the power to identify binding sites throughout the transcriptome and provide invaluable insight into the thermodynamic properties that define small molecule binding.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Disulfides* / chemistry
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / chemistry
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / metabolism
  • Humans
  • RNA / chemistry
  • RNA / metabolism
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • RNA
  • Electron Transport Complex IV