Bioactive small molecules with photo-removable protecting groups have provided spatial and temporal control of corresponding biological effects. We present the design, synthesis, computational and experimental evaluation of the first photo-activatable small-molecule methyltransferase agonist. By blocking the functional N-H group on MPCH with a photo-removable ortho-nitrobenzyl moiety, we have developed a promising photo-caged compound that had completely concealed its biological activity. Short UV light exposure of cells treated with that caged molecule in a few minutes resulted in a considerable hypermethylation of m6 A modification in transcriptome RNAs, implicating a rapid release of the parent active compound. This study validates for the first time the photo-activatable small organic molecular concept in the field of RNA epigenetic research, which represents a novel tool in spatiotemporal and cellular modulation approaches.
Keywords: RNA modification; epigenetics; photo-decaging; small organic agonist; spatiotemporal control.
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