Cation-Cation Photosensitization for Protein Ligation and Intracellular Catalysis.

ABSTRACT: We report here a photosensitized strategy for protein labelling in which N-substituted pyridinium salts are activated using a 2,4-diaryl-N-methyl quinolinium scaffold. Structure-reactivity relationships were performed to optimize the sensitizer structure, and ultimately generated a system that gives protein labelling in minutes at micromolar reagent concentrations. Mechanistic studies suggest a photo-induced electron transfer-based sensitization mechanism. The mildness of this system enabled us to assay sensitization both on individual biomolecules and in complex proteomes and demonstrated excellent compatibility with lysate- and the live-cell-based systems. Imaging of photolabelled HeLa cells were performed and revealed that catalysis occurs in multiple cellular compartments. Chemical pro

SUBMITTER: Agarwal V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12637585 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature