Protein Tyrosine Amination: Detection, Imaging, and Chemoproteomic Profiling with Synthetic Probes

J Am Chem Soc. 2024 May 1;146(17):11944-11954. doi: 10.1021/jacs.4c01028. Epub 2024 Apr 15.

Abstract

Protein tyrosine nitration (PTN) by oxidative and nitrative stress is a well-known post-translational modification that plays a role in the initiation and progression of various diseases. Despite being recognized as a stable modification for decades, recent studies have suggested the existence of a reduction in PTN, leading to the formation of 3-aminotyrosine (3AT) and potential denitration processes. However, the vital functions of 3AT-containing proteins are still unclear due to the lack of selective probes that directly target the protein tyrosine amination. Here, we report a novel approach to label and enrich 3AT-containing proteins with synthetic salicylaldehyde (SAL)-based probes: SALc-FL with a fluorophore and SALc-Yn with an alkyne tag. These probes exhibit high selectivity and efficiency in labeling and can be used in cell lysates and live cells. More importantly, SALc-Yn offers versatility when integrated into multiple platforms by enabling proteome-wide quantitative profiling of cell nitration dynamics. Using SALc-Yn, 355 proteins were labeled, enriched, and identified to carry the 3AT modification in oxidatively stressed RAW264.7 cells. These findings provide compelling evidence supporting the involvement of 3AT as a critical intermediate in nitrated protein turnover. Moreover, our probes serve as powerful tools to investigate protein nitration and denitration processes, and the identification of 3AT-containing proteins contributes to our understanding of PTN dynamics and its implications in cellular redox biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aldehydes / chemical synthesis
  • Aldehydes / chemistry
  • Amination
  • Animals
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemical synthesis
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Proteins / analysis
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Tyrosine* / analogs & derivatives
  • Tyrosine* / chemistry
  • Tyrosine* / metabolism

Substances

  • Tyrosine
  • Aldehydes
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • salicylaldehyde
  • Proteins