Design and synthesis of minimalist terminal alkyne-containing diazirine photo-crosslinkers and their incorporation into kinase inhibitors for cell- and tissue-based proteome profiling

A Binding Site Hotspot Map of the FKBP12-Rapamycin-FRB Ternary Complex by Photoaffinity Labeling and Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics

Structural characterization of small molecule binding site hotspots within the global proteome is uniquely enabled by photoaffinity labeling (PAL) coupled with chemical enrichment and unbiased analysis by mass spectrometry (MS). MS-based binding site maps provide structural resolution of interaction sites in conjunction with identification of target proteins. However, binding site hotspot mapping has been confined to relatively simple small molecules to date; extension to more complex compounds would enable the structural definition of new binding modes in the proteome. Here, we extend PAL and MS methods to derive a binding site hotspot map for the immunosuppressant rapamycin, a complex macrocyclic natural product that forms a ternary complex with the proteins FKBP12 and FRB. Photo-rapamycin was developed as a diazirine-based PAL probe for rapamycin, and the FKBP12-photo-rapamycin-FRB ternary complex formed readily in vitro. Photoirradiation, digestion, and MS analysis of the ternary complex revealed a McLafferty rearrangement product of photo-rapamycin conjugated to specific surfaces on FKBP12 and FRB. Molecular modeling based on the binding site map revealed two distinct conformations of complex-bound photo-rapamycin, providing a 5.0 Å distance constraint between the conjugated residues and the diazirine carbon and a 9.0 Å labeling radius for the diazirine upon photoactivation. These measurements may be broadly useful in the interpretation of binding site measurements from PAL. Thus, in characterizing the ternary complex of photo-rapamycin by MS, we applied binding site hotspot mapping to a macrocyclic natural product and extracted precise structural measurements for interpretation of PAL products that may enable the discovery of new binding sites in the "undruggable" proteome.

Design and Synthesis of the Diazirine-based Clickable Photo-affinity Probe Targeting Sphingomyelin Synthase 2

Background:

SMS family plays a very important role in sphingolipids metabolism and is involved in the membrane mobility and signaling transduction.

Methods:

SMS2 subtype was related to a variety of diseases and could be regarded as a promising potential drug target. However, the uncertainty of the binding sites and the molecular mechanism of action limited the development of SMS2 inhibitors. Herein, we discovered a photo-affinity probe PAL-1 targeting SMS2.

Results:

The enzyme inhibitory activity and the photo-affinity labeling experiments showed that PAL-1 could be mono-labeled on SMS2.

Conclusion:

In summary, starting from the N-arylbenzamides core structure and the minimalist terminal alkyne-containing diazirine photo-crosslinker, we designed and synthesized a photoaffinity probe PAL-1 targeting SMS2. The enzymatic inhibitory activity study showed that PAL-1 exhibited superior selectivities for SMS2 with an IC50 of 0.37 µM over SMS1.

Antibiotic Discovery with Synthetic Fermentation: Library Assembly, Phenotypic Screening, and Mechanism of Action of β-Peptides Targeting Penicillin-Binding Proteins

In analogy to biosynthetic pathways leading to bioactive natural products, synthetic fermentation generates mixtures of molecules from simple building blocks under aqueous, biocompatible conditions, allowing the resulting cultures to be directly screened for biological activity. In this work, a novel β-peptide antibiotic was successfully identified using the synthetic fermentation platform. Phenotypic screening was carried out in an initially random fashion, allowing simple identification of active cultures. Subsequent deconvolution, focused screening, and structure-activity relationship studies led to the identification of a potent antimicrobial peptide, showing strong selectivity for our model system Bacillus subtilis over human HEK293 cells. To determine the antibacterial mechanism of action, a peptide probe bearing a photoaffinity tag was readily synthesized through the use of appropriate synthetic fermentation building blocks and utilized for target identification using a quantitative mass spectrometry-based strategy. The chemoproteomic approach led to the identification of a number of bacterial membrane proteins as prospective targets. These findings were validated through binding affinity studies with penicillin-binding protein 4 using microscale thermophoresis, with the bioactive peptide showing a dissociation constant ( K_d) in the nanomolar range. Through these efforts, we provide a proof of concept for the synthetic fermentation approach presented here as a new strategy for the phenotypic discovery of novel bioactive compounds.

Live-cell imaging and profiling of c-Jun N-terminal kinases using covalent inhibitor-derived probes

c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are involved in critical cellular functions. Herein, small-molecule JNK-targeting probes are reported based on a covalent inhibitor. Together with newly developed two-photon fluorescence Turn-ON reporters and chemoproteomic studies, we showed that some probes may be suitable for live-cell imaging and profiling of JNKs.

Recent Applications of Diazirines in Chemical Proteomics

The elucidation of substrate-protein interactions is an important component of the drug development process. Due to the complexity of native cellular environments, elucidating these fundamental biochemical interactions remains challenging. Photoaffinity labeling (PAL) is a versatile technique that can provide insight into ligand-target interactions. By judicious modification of substrates with a photoreactive group, PAL creates a covalent crosslink between a substrate and its biological target following UV-irradiation. Among the commonly employed photoreactive groups, diazirines have emerged as the gold standard. In this Minireview, recent developments in the field of diazirine-based photoaffinity labeling will be discussed, with emphasis being placed on their applications in chemical proteomic studies.

Previously Uncharacterized Vacuolar-type ATPase Binding Site Discovered from Structurally Similar Compounds with Distinct Mechanisms of Action

Using a comprehensive chemical genetics approach, we identified a member of the lignan natural product family, HTP-013, which exhibited significant cytotoxicity across various cancer cell lines. Correlation of compound activity across a panel of reporter gene assays suggested the vacuolar-type ATPase (v-ATPase) as a potential target for this compound. Additional cellular studies and a yeast haploinsufficiency screen strongly supported this finding. Competitive photoaffinity labeling experiments demonstrated that the ATP6V0A2 subunit of the v-ATPase complex binds directly to HTP-013, and further mutagenesis library screening identified resistance-conferring mutations in ATP6V0A2. The positions of these mutations suggest the molecule binds a novel pocket within the domain of the v-ATPase complex responsible for proton translocation. While other mechanisms of v-ATPase regulation have been described, such as dissociation of the complex or inhibition by natural products including bafilomycin A1 and concanamycin, this work provides detailed insight into a distinct binding pocket within the v-ATPase complex.

Cellular target identification of Withangulatin A using fluorescent analogues and subsequent chemical proteomics

Find the target of Withangulatin A with the combination of fluorescent probes and chemical proteomics.

Minimalist linkers suitable for irreversible inhibitors in simultaneous proteome profiling, live-cell imaging and drug screening

A series of minimalist linkers were developed and have been demonstrated to be suitable for irreversible inhibitors in simultaneous proteome profiling, live-cell imaging and drug screening, thus facilitating the discovery of first-in-class anticancer drugs.

Design and synthesis of cysteine-specific labels for photo-crosslinking studies

Chemical cross-linking mass-spectrometry (XL-MS) represents a powerful methodology to map ligand/biomacromolecule interactions, particularly where conventional methods such as X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or cryo-electron microscopy (EM) are not feasible. In this manuscript, we describe the design and synthesis of two new photo-crosslinking reagents that can be used to specifically label free thiols through either maleimido or methanethiosulfonate groups and facilitate PXL-MS workflows. Both crosslinkers are based on light sensitive diazirines – precursors of highly reactive carbenes which offer additional advantages over alternative crosslinking groups such as benzophenones and aryl nitrenes given the controlled rapid and more indiscriminate reactivity.

The design and synthesis of cysteine specific diazirine containing labels is described.

Multiparameter Optimization of Two Common Proteomics Quantification Methods for Quantifying Low-Abundance Proteins

Quantitative proteomics has been extensively applied in the screening of differentially regulated proteins in various research areas for decades, but its sensitivity and accuracy have been a bottleneck for many applications. Every step in the proteomics workflow can potentially affect the quantification of low-abundance proteins, but a systematic evaluation of their effects has not been done yet. In this work, to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of label-free quantification and tandem mass tags (TMT) labeling in quantifying low-abundance proteins, multiparameter optimization was carried out using a complex 2-proteome artificial sample mixture for a series of steps from sample preparation to data analysis, including the desalting of peptides, peptide injection amount for LC-MS/MS, MS1 resolution, the length of LC-MS/MS gradient, AGC targets, ion accumulation time, MS2 resolution, precursor coisolation threshold, data analysis software, statistical calculation methods, and protein fold changes, and the best settings for each parameter were defined. The suitable cutoffs for detecting low-abundance proteins with at least 1.5-fold and 2-fold changes were identified for label-free and TMT methods, respectively. The use of optimized parameters will significantly improve the overall performance of quantitative proteomics in quantifying low-abundance proteins and thus promote its application in other research areas.

Thinking Outside the Box-Novel Antibacterials To Tackle the Resistance Crisis

The public view on antibiotics as reliable medicines changed when reports about "resistant superbugs" appeared in the news. While reasons for this resistance development are easily spotted, solutions for re-establishing effective antibiotics are still in their infancy. This Review encompasses several aspects of the antibiotic development pipeline from very early strategies to mature drugs. An interdisciplinary overview is given of methods suitable for mining novel antibiotics and strategies discussed to unravel their modes of action. Select examples of antibiotics recently identified by using these platforms not only illustrate the efficiency of these measures, but also highlight promising clinical candidates with therapeutic potential. Furthermore, the concept of molecules that disarm pathogens by addressing gatekeepers of virulence will be covered. The Review concludes with an evaluation of antibacterials currently in clinical development. Overall, this Review aims to connect select innovative antimicrobial approaches to stimulate interdisciplinary partnerships between chemists from academia and industry.

Tetracyclines Modify Translation by Targeting Key Human rRNA Substructures

Apart from their antimicrobial properties, tetracyclines demonstrate clinically validated effects in the amelioration of pathological inflammation and human cancer. Delineation of the target(s) and mechanism(s) responsible for these effects, however, has remained elusive. Here, employing quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we identified human 80S ribosomes as targets of the tetracyclines Col-3 and doxycycline. We then developed in-cell click selective crosslinking with RNA sequence profiling (icCL-seq) to map binding sites for these tetracyclines on key human rRNA substructures at nucleotide resolution. Importantly, we found that structurally and phenotypically variant tetracycline analogs could chemically discriminate these rRNA binding sites. We also found that tetracyclines both subtly modify human ribosomal translation and selectively activate the cellular integrated stress response (ISR). Together, the data reveal that targeting of specific rRNA substructures, activation of the ISR, and inhibition of translation are correlated with the anti-proliferative properties of tetracyclines in human cancer cell lines.

Opportunities for Lipid-Based Probes in the Field of Immunology

Lipids perform a wide range of functions inside the cell, ranging from structural building block of membranes and energy storage to cell signaling. The mode of action of many signaling lipids has remained elusive due to their low abundance, high lipophilicity, and inherent instability. Various chemical biology approaches, such as photoaffinity or activity-based protein profiling methods, have been employed to shed light on the biological role of lipids and the lipid-protein interaction profile. In this review, we will summarize the recent developments in the field of chemical probes to study lipid biology, especially in immunology, and indicate potential avenues for future research.

Development of Photoaffinity Probe for the Discovery of Steviol Glycosides Biosynthesis Pathway in Stevia rebuadiana and Rapid Substrate Screening

Functional discovery and characterization of the target enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis pathway coded for the genes is ongoing, and the unknown functional diversity of this class of enzymes has been revealed by genome sequencing. Commonly, it is feasible in annotating of biosynthetic genes of prokaryotes due to the existence of gene clusters of secondary metabolites. However, in eukaryotes, the biosynthetic genes are not compactly clustered in the way of prokaryotes. Hence, it remains challenging to identify the biosynthetic pathways of newly discovered natural products in plants. Steviol glycosides are one class of natural sweeteners found in high abundance in the herb Stevia rebaudiana. Here, we applied the chemoproteomic strategy for the proteomic profiling of the biosynthetic enzymes of steviol glycosides in Stevia rebaudiana. We not only identified a steviol-catalyzing UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) UGT73E1 involved in steviol glycoside biosynthesis but also built up a probe-based platform for the screening of potential substrates of functional uncharacterized UGT rapidly. This approach would be a complementary tool in mining novel synthetic parts for assembling of synthetic biological systems for the biosynthesis of other complex natural products.

Current advances of carbene-mediated photoaffinity labeling in medicinal chemistry

Photoaffinity labeling (PAL) in combination with a chemical probe to covalently bind its target upon UV irradiation has demonstrated considerable promise in drug discovery for identifying new drug targets and binding sites. In particular, carbene-mediated photoaffinity labeling (cmPAL) has been widely used in drug target identification owing to its excellent photolabeling efficiency, minimal steric interference and longer excitation wavelength. Specifically, diazirines, which are among the precursors of carbenes and have higher carbene yields and greater chemical stability than diazo compounds, have proved to be valuable photolabile reagents in a diverse range of biological systems. This review highlights current advances of cmPAL in medicinal chemistry, with a focus on structures and applications for identifying small molecule-protein and macromolecule-protein interactions and ligand-gated ion channels, coupled with advances in the discovery of targets and inhibitors using carbene precursor-based biological probes developed in recent decades.

Amidation Strategy for Final-Step α-Hydroxytropolone Diversification

α-Hydroxytropolones (αHTs) are excellent metalloenzyme-inhibiting fragments that have been the basis for the development of potent inhibitors of various therapeutically important enzymes. The following manuscript describes a final-step amidation approach for αHT diversification. The method takes advantage of a scalable, chromatography-free synthesis of a carboxylic acid-appended αHT, and in the present manuscript we describe the synthesis of eight amide-containing αHTs, three of which we envision using as chemical probes. We expect that the general strategy will find widespread usage in both chemical biology and medicinal chemistry studies on αHTs.

Synthesis of Functionalized N-Acetyl Muramic Acids To Probe Bacterial Cell Wall Recycling and Biosynthesis

Uridine diphosphate N-acetyl muramic acid (UDP NAM) is a critical intermediate in bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) biosynthesis. As the primary source of muramic acid that shapes the PG backbone, modifications installed at the UDP NAM intermediate can be used to selectively tag and manipulate this polymer via metabolic incorporation. However, synthetic and purification strategies to access large quantities of these PG building blocks, as well as their derivatives, are challenging. A robust chemoenzymatic synthesis was developed using an expanded NAM library to produce a variety of 2 -N-functionalized UDP NAMs. In addition, a synthetic strategy to access bio-orthogonal 3-lactic acid NAM derivatives was developed. The chemoenzymatic UDP synthesis revealed that the bacterial cell wall recycling enzymes MurNAc/GlcNAc anomeric kinase (AmgK) and NAM α-1 phosphate uridylyl transferase (MurU) were permissive to permutations at the two and three positions of the sugar donor. We further explored the utility of these derivatives in the fluorescent labeling of both Gram (-) and Gram (+) PG in whole cells using a variety of bio-orthogonal chemistries including the tetrazine ligation. This report allows for rapid and scalable access to a variety of functionalized NAMs and UDP NAMs, which now can be used in tandem with other complementary bio-orthogonal labeling strategies to address fundamental questions surrounding PG's role in immunology and microbiology.

Development of a Cannabinoid-Based Photoaffinity Probe to Determine the Δ8/9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Protein Interaction Landscape in Neuroblastoma Cells

Introduction: Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principle psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis, is widely used for its therapeutic effects in a large variety of diseases, but it also has numerous neurological side effects. The cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) are responsible to a large extent for these, but not all biological responses are mediated via the CBRs. Objectives: The identification of additional target proteins of THC to enable a better understanding of the (adverse) physiological effects of THC. Methods: In this study, a chemical proteomics approach using a two-step photoaffinity probe is applied to identify potential proteins that may interact with THC. Results: Photoaffinity probe 1, containing a diazirine as a photocrosslinker, and a terminal alkyne as a ligation handle, was synthesized in 14 steps. It demonstrated high affinity for both CBRs. Subsequently, two-step photoaffinity labeling in neuroblastoma cells led to identification of four potential novel protein targets of THC. The identification of these putative protein hits is a first step towards a better understanding of the protein interaction profile of THC, which could ultimately lead to the development of novel therapeutics based on THC.

Fishing for Drug Targets: A Focus on Diazirine Photoaffinity Probe Synthesis

Target identification is a high-priority, albeit challenging, aspect of drug discovery. Diazirine-based photoaffinity probes (PAPs) can facilitate the process by covalently capturing transient molecular interactions. This can help identify target proteins and map the ligand's interactome. Diazirine probes have even been incorporated by cellular machinery into proteins. Embarking on the synthesis of customized PAPs, containing either an aliphatic or trifluoromethyl phenyl diazirine, can be a considerable endeavor, particularly for medicinal chemists and chemical biologists new to the field. This review takes a synthetic focus, aiming to summarize available routes, propose new avenues, and illuminate recent advances in diazirine synthesis. Select examples of diazirine photoaffinity labeling applications have been included throughout to provide instructive definition of the advantages and limitations of the technology while simultaneously highlighting how these reagents can be applied in a practical sense.

Click-Addressable Cassette for Photoaffinity Labeling

A small molecule 1 was designed to contain an alkyne, a trifluoromethyl phenyldiazirine, and a free piperidine-NH for facile conjugation to protein binding ligands. This "cassette" 1 was synthesized via a relatively direct route involving only routine steps. In this proof-of-concept study, putative ligands for carbonic anhydrase IX and for TrkC were conjugated to 1. Photoaffinity labeling was performed using purified extracellular regions of both these protein-receptors, and using cells that express these receptors (isolation via a pull-down procedure), labeling of the protein was observed in all four experiments.

Promysalin Elicits Species-Selective Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Targeting Succinate Dehydrogenase

Natural products have served as an inspiration to scientists both for their complex three-dimensional architecture and exquisite biological activity. Promysalin is one such Pseudomonad secondary metabolite that exhibits narrow-spectrum antibacterial activity, originally isolated from the rhizosphere. We herein utilize affinity-based protein profiling (AfBPP) to identify succinate dehydrogenase (Sdh) as the biological target of the natural product. The target was further validated in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and through the selection, and sequencing, of a resistant mutant. Succinate dehydrogenase plays an essential role in primary metabolism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the only enzyme that is involved both in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and in respiration via the electron transport chain. These findings add credence to other studies that suggest that the TCA cycle is an understudied target in the development of novel therapeutics to combat P. aeruginosa, a significant pathogen in clinical settings.

Discovery of Arabidopsis UGT73C1 as a steviol-catalyzing UDP-glycosyltransferase with chemical probes

A strategy for rapidly mining biological parts from plants for synthetic biology utilizing natural product-derived chemical probes has been reported.

Chemical Proteomics Identifies SLC25A20 as a Functional Target of the Ingenol Class of Actinic Keratosis Drugs

The diterpenoid ester ingenol mebutate (IngMeb) is the active ingredient in the topical drug Picato, a first-in-class treatment for the precancerous skin condition actinic keratosis. IngMeb is proposed to exert its therapeutic effects through a dual mode of action involving (i) induction of cell death that is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction followed by (ii) stimulation of a local inflammatory response, at least partially driven by protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Although this therapeutic model has been well characterized, the complete set of molecular targets responsible for mediating IngMeb activity remains ill-defined. Here, we have synthesized a photoreactive, clickable analogue of IngMeb and used this probe in quantitative proteomic experiments to map several protein targets of IngMeb in human cancer cell lines and primary human keratinocytes. Prominent among these targets was the mitochondrial carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase SLC25A20, which we show is inhibited in cells by IngMeb and the more stable analogue ingenol disoxate (IngDsx), but not by the canonical PKC agonist 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). SLC25A20 blockade by IngMeb and IngDsx leads to a buildup of cellular acylcarnitines and blockade of fatty acid oxidation (FAO), pointing to a possible mechanism for IngMeb-mediated perturbations in mitochondrial function.

Tetrazole-Based Probes for Integrated Phenotypic Screening, Affinity-Based Proteome Profiling, and Sensitive Detection of a Cancer Biomarker

Target-identification phenotypic screening has been a powerful approach in drug discovery; however, it is hindered by difficulties in identifying the underlying cellular targets. To address this challenge, we have combined phenotypic screening of a fully functionalized small-molecule library with competitive affinity-based proteome profiling to map and functionally characterize the targets of screening hits. Using this approach, we identified ANXA2, PDIA3/4, FLAD1, and NOS2 as primary cellular targets of two bioactive molecules that inhibit cancer cell proliferation. We further demonstrated that a panel of probes can label and/or image annexin A2 (a cancer biomarker) from different cancer cell lines, thus providing opportunities for potential cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Ultrasensitive Quantitation of Plasma Membrane Proteins via isRTA

Quantitation of plasma membrane proteins (PMPs) is fundamental and frequently performed daily in the lab. However, challenged by the inherent/interacting heterostructures and complex surroundings of the PMPs in lipid membrane, quantitative techniques for PMP often require complex treatments (e.g., labeling, isolation, purification, and determination), and the sensitivity is usually not satisfactory. To address this problem, we have proposed a novel method that enables quantitation of PMPs with extremely high sensitivity, in an easier-to-manipulate and more streamlined way. This method is based on the design of an in situ rolling cycling replication-templated amplification strategy (isRTA). In fact, two rounds of DNA cascade isothermal amplifications have been conducted. The first round of amplification can provide templates for the second round of amplification; thus, significant enhancement of quantitative signals can be achieved. In this way, PMPs are quantified with ultrahigh sensitivity; as few as 25 copies of PMPs can be detected per cell. Moreover, the advantages of isRTA have been demonstrated by simultaneous identification of several PMP biomarkers (MUC1, EpCAM, and HER2) that are expressed over a wide distribution range on breast cancer cells. The precise typing of breast cancer cell subsets is thus possible because of the "quantitative-to-qualitative" strategy. Therefore, the unprecedented sensitivity and high usability of the isRTA method may present significant prospects for delving into membrane proteins and their related biofunctions in many research fields.

A Suite of "Minimalist" Photo-Crosslinkers for Live-Cell Imaging and Chemical Proteomics: Case Study with BRD4 Inhibitors

Affinity-based probes (AfBPs) provide a powerful tool for large-scale chemoproteomic studies of drug-target interactions. The development of high-quality probes capable of recapitulating genuine drug-target engagement, however, could be challenging. "Minimalist" photo-crosslinkers, which contain an alkyl diazirine group and a chemically tractable tag, could alleviate such challenges, but few are currently available. Herein, we have developed new alkyl diazirine-containing photo-crosslinkers with different bioorthogonal tags. They were subsequently used to create a suite of AfBPs based on GW841819X (a small molecule inhibitor of BRD4). Through in vitro and in situ studies under conditions that emulated native drug-target interactions, we have obtained better insights into how a tag might affect the probe's performance. Finally, SILAC-based chemoproteomic studies have led to the discovery of a novel off-target, APEX1. Further studies showed GW841819X binds to APEX1 and caused up-regulation of endogenous DNMT1 expression under normoxia conditions.

Developments of bioorthogonal handle-containing photo-crosslinkers for photoaffinity labeling

Photoaffinity labeling (PAL) has been widely applied in various research areas such as medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and structural biology, owing to its capability of investigating non-covalent ligand-protein interactions under native environments and elucidating protein structures, functions etc. One important application of this technique is to use affinity-based proteome profiling (AfBP) coupled with bioimaging for profiling drug-target interactions in situ. In order to accurately report drug-target interactions via these approaches, several considerations as follows need to be made: (1) maximally retaining bioactivities of photoprobes upon functionalization with a photoreactive group and a reporter tag from a parental compound; (2) performing proteome profiling and imaging in situ simultaneously, to monitor drug-target interactions in different manners; and (3) developing excellent photo-crosslinkers capable of photo-crosslinking and fluorescence turn-on at the same time. With these considerations in mind, we have developed three versions of "minimalist" bioorthogonal handle-containing photo-crosslinkers (L3-L6) during the years and successfully applied them in all kinds of small bioactive molecules for protein labeling and cellular imaging studies. In this mini-review, the features and functions of these linkers are specifically highlighted and summarized.

Synthesis of ramariolide natural products and discovery of their targets in mycobacteria

The total synthesis of ramariolides A–D and ABPP (photoprobe) derivatives have been synthesized for target identification in mycobacterial strains.

Ramariolides A–D are natural products with antibacterial activity. To exploit their cellular mechanism, we here devise the first total synthesis and prepare a photoprobe for target identification. Antibacterial testing against several pathogenic strains including Mycobacterium tuberculosis revealed the highest potency for ramariolide A. Chemical proteomics unraveled binding to essential proteins for amino acid anabolism.