Volume 55, Issue 43 pp. 13553-13557
Communication

Electrophilic RNA for Peptidyl-RNA Synthesis and Site-Specific Cross-Linking with tRNA-Binding Enzymes

Dr. Matthieu Fonvielle

Dr. Matthieu Fonvielle

Laboratoire de Recherche Moléculaire sur les Antibiotiques Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe 12, UMR S 1138; INSERM, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Université Paris Descartes, 15 rue de L'Ecole de Médecine, Paris, F-75006 France

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Nicolas Sakkas

Nicolas Sakkas

Laboratoire de Chimie et de Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Université Paris Descartes, UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

CNRS UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Dr. Laura Iannazzo

Dr. Laura Iannazzo

Laboratoire de Chimie et de Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Université Paris Descartes, UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

CNRS UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

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Chloé Le Fournis

Chloé Le Fournis

Laboratoire de Recherche Moléculaire sur les Antibiotiques Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe 12, UMR S 1138; INSERM, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Université Paris Descartes, 15 rue de L'Ecole de Médecine, Paris, F-75006 France

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Delphine Patin

Delphine Patin

Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France

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Dr. Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx

Dr. Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx

Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France

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Dr. Afaf El-Sagheer

Dr. Afaf El-Sagheer

Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA UK

Chemistry Branch, Dept. of Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez Canal University, Suez, 43721 Egypt

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Dr. Emmanuelle Braud

Dr. Emmanuelle Braud

Laboratoire de Chimie et de Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Université Paris Descartes, UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

CNRS UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

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Sébastien Cardon

Sébastien Cardon

Laboratoire de Recherche Moléculaire sur les Antibiotiques Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe 12, UMR S 1138; INSERM, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Université Paris Descartes, 15 rue de L'Ecole de Médecine, Paris, F-75006 France

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Dr. Tom Brown

Dr. Tom Brown

Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA UK

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Dr. Michel Arthur

Corresponding Author

Dr. Michel Arthur

Laboratoire de Recherche Moléculaire sur les Antibiotiques Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe 12, UMR S 1138; INSERM, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Université Paris Descartes, 15 rue de L'Ecole de Médecine, Paris, F-75006 France

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Dr. Mélanie Etheve-Quelquejeu

Corresponding Author

Dr. Mélanie Etheve-Quelquejeu

Laboratoire de Chimie et de Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Université Paris Descartes, UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

CNRS UMR 8601, Paris, F-75006 France

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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First published: 26 September 2016
Citations: 16

Graphical Abstract

Electrophilic RNAs were synthesized to generate conjugates with native biomolecules. This strategy is based on diester-squarate-mediated coupling for post-functionalization of RNAs obtained by solid-phase synthesis. The unique reactivity of the squaramate RNAs provided specificity for cross-linking with defined amino groups in complex biomolecules.

Abstract

RNA functionalization is challenging due to the instability of RNA and the limited range of available enzymatic reactions. We developed a strategy based on solid phase synthesis and post-functionalization to introduce an electrophilic site at the 3′ end of tRNA analogues. The squarate diester used as an electrophile enabled sequential amidation and provided asymmetric squaramides with high selectivity. The squaramate-RNAs specifically reacted with the lysine of UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide, a peptidoglycan precursor used by the aminoacyl-transferase FemXWv for synthesis of the bacterial cell wall. The peptidyl-RNA obtained with squaramate-RNA and unprotected UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide efficiently inhibited FemXWv. The squaramate unit also promoted specific cross-linking of RNA to the catalytic Lys of FemXWv but not to related transferases recognizing different aminoacyl-tRNAs. Thus, squaramate-RNAs provide specificity for cross-linking with defined groups in complex biomolecules due to its unique reactivity.

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