Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues

Abstract Induced proximity by molecular glues refers to strategies that leverage the recruitment of proteins to facilitate their modification, regulation or degradation. As prospective design of molecular glues remains challenging, unbiased discovery methods are necessary to discover new chemical ta...

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Main Authors: Kheewoong Baek, Rebecca J. Metivier, Shourya S. Roy Burman, Jonathan W. Bushman, Hojong Yoon, Ryan J. Lumpkin, Julia K. Ryan, Dinah M. Abeja, Megha Lakshminarayan, Hong Yue, Samuel Ojeda, Yuan Xiong, Jianwei Che, Alyssa L. Verano, Anna M. Schmoker, Nathanael S. Gray, Katherine A. Donovan, Eric S. Fischer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62099-w
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author Kheewoong Baek
Rebecca J. Metivier
Shourya S. Roy Burman
Jonathan W. Bushman
Hojong Yoon
Ryan J. Lumpkin
Julia K. Ryan
Dinah M. Abeja
Megha Lakshminarayan
Hong Yue
Samuel Ojeda
Yuan Xiong
Jianwei Che
Alyssa L. Verano
Anna M. Schmoker
Nathanael S. Gray
Katherine A. Donovan
Eric S. Fischer
author_facet Kheewoong Baek
Rebecca J. Metivier
Shourya S. Roy Burman
Jonathan W. Bushman
Hojong Yoon
Ryan J. Lumpkin
Julia K. Ryan
Dinah M. Abeja
Megha Lakshminarayan
Hong Yue
Samuel Ojeda
Yuan Xiong
Jianwei Che
Alyssa L. Verano
Anna M. Schmoker
Nathanael S. Gray
Katherine A. Donovan
Eric S. Fischer
author_sort Kheewoong Baek
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Induced proximity by molecular glues refers to strategies that leverage the recruitment of proteins to facilitate their modification, regulation or degradation. As prospective design of molecular glues remains challenging, unbiased discovery methods are necessary to discover new chemical targets. Here we establish a high throughput affinity proteomics workflow leveraging E3 ligase activity-impaired CRBN-DDB1ΔB in cell lysates for the unbiased identification of molecular glue targets. By mapping the interaction landscape of CRBN-binding molecular glues, we unveil 298 protein targets and demonstrate the utility of enrichment methods for identifying targets overlooked by established methods. We use a computational workflow to estimate target confidence and perform biochemical and structural validation of uncharacterized neo-substrates. We further identify a lead compound for the previously untargeted non-zinc finger PPIL4 through a biochemical screen. Our study provides a comprehensive inventory of targets chemically recruited to CRBN and delivers a robust and scalable workflow for identifying drug-induced protein interactions in cell lysates.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-fa33bdb0c5e24848b1d1deaf0ca6b4bf2025-08-20T04:02:54ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111810.1038/s41467-025-62099-wUnveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular gluesKheewoong Baek0Rebecca J. Metivier1Shourya S. Roy Burman2Jonathan W. Bushman3Hojong Yoon4Ryan J. Lumpkin5Julia K. Ryan6Dinah M. Abeja7Megha Lakshminarayan8Hong Yue9Samuel Ojeda10Yuan Xiong11Jianwei Che12Alyssa L. Verano13Anna M. Schmoker14Nathanael S. Gray15Katherine A. Donovan16Eric S. Fischer17Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Chemical and Systems Biology, ChEM-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medical School, Stanford UniversityDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonDepartment of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BostonAbstract Induced proximity by molecular glues refers to strategies that leverage the recruitment of proteins to facilitate their modification, regulation or degradation. As prospective design of molecular glues remains challenging, unbiased discovery methods are necessary to discover new chemical targets. Here we establish a high throughput affinity proteomics workflow leveraging E3 ligase activity-impaired CRBN-DDB1ΔB in cell lysates for the unbiased identification of molecular glue targets. By mapping the interaction landscape of CRBN-binding molecular glues, we unveil 298 protein targets and demonstrate the utility of enrichment methods for identifying targets overlooked by established methods. We use a computational workflow to estimate target confidence and perform biochemical and structural validation of uncharacterized neo-substrates. We further identify a lead compound for the previously untargeted non-zinc finger PPIL4 through a biochemical screen. Our study provides a comprehensive inventory of targets chemically recruited to CRBN and delivers a robust and scalable workflow for identifying drug-induced protein interactions in cell lysates.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62099-w
spellingShingle Kheewoong Baek
Rebecca J. Metivier
Shourya S. Roy Burman
Jonathan W. Bushman
Hojong Yoon
Ryan J. Lumpkin
Julia K. Ryan
Dinah M. Abeja
Megha Lakshminarayan
Hong Yue
Samuel Ojeda
Yuan Xiong
Jianwei Che
Alyssa L. Verano
Anna M. Schmoker
Nathanael S. Gray
Katherine A. Donovan
Eric S. Fischer
Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues
Nature Communications
title Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues
title_full Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues
title_fullStr Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues
title_full_unstemmed Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues
title_short Unveiling the hidden interactome of CRBN molecular glues
title_sort unveiling the hidden interactome of crbn molecular glues
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62099-w
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