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Target occupancy is often insufficient to elicit biological activity, particularly for RNA, compounded by the longstanding challenges surrounding the molecular recognition of RNA structures by small molecules. Here we studied molecular recognition patterns between a natural-product-inspired small-molecule collection and three-dimensionally folded RNA structures. Mapping these interaction landscapes across the human transcriptome defined structure-activity relationships. Although RNA-binding compounds that bind to functional sites were expected to elicit a biological response, most identified interactions were predicted to be biologically inert as they bind elsewhere. We reasoned that, for such cases, an alternative strategy to modulate RNA biology is to cleave the target through a ribonuclease-targeting chimera, where an RNA-binding molecule is appended to a heterocycle that binds to and locally activates RNase L 1 . Overlay of the substrate specificity for RNase L with the binding landscape of small molecules revealed many favourable candidate binders that might be bioactive when converted into degraders. We provide a proof of concept, designing selective degraders for the precursor to the disease-associated microRNA-155 (pre-miR-155), JUN mRNA and MYC mRNA. Thus, small-molecule RNA-targeted degradation can be leveraged to convert strong, yet inactive, binding interactions into potent and specific modulators of RNA function., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Biological membranes define the boundaries of the cellular compartments in higher eukaryotes and are active in many processes such as signal transduction and vesicular transport. Although post-translational lipid modification of numerous proteins in signal transduction is crucial for biological function, analysis of protein-protein interactions has mainly focused on recombinant proteins in solution under defined in vitro conditions. Here we present a new strategy for the synthesis of such lipid-modified proteins. It involves the bacterial expression of a carboxy-terminally truncated non-lipidated protein, the chemical synthesis of differently lipidated peptides representing the C terminus of the proteins, and their covalent coupling. Our technique is demonstrated using Ras constructs, which exhibit properties very similar to fully processed Ras, but can be produced in high yields and are open for selective modifications. These constructs are operative in biophysical and cellular assay systems, showing specific recognition of effectors by Ras lipoproteins inserted into the membrane surface of biosensors and transforming activity of oncogenic variants after microinjection into cultured cells.

H-2 restriction is an established characteristic of T-cell behaviour and, in effect, it means that mouse T cells are activated against foreign antigens only if those antigens are presented in a membrane association with molecules of the mouse major histocompatibility complex, H-2. Whether T-cell inactivation or tolerance is also H-2-restricted is a question which has been tested directly and indirectly several times in the past. In each case the answer was 'No' but in each case the answer was inconclusive. Doubts arose because of the observation that activation of T cells, in vivo, is an H-2-restricted event which appears unrestricted because of antigen processing by the host. If antigen processing is involved in the induction of tolerance, then tolerance might also be an H-2-restricted process disguised to appear unrestricted. We report here a study designed to minimize antigen processing in which we find that T-cell tolerance induction to 'self' minor histocompatibility (H) antigens is indeed H-2-restricted.

A human IgGI antibody has been reshaped for serotherapy in humans by introducing the six hypervariable regions from the heavy- and light-chain variable domains of a rat antibody directed against human lymphocytes. The reshaped human antibody is as effective as the rat antibody in complement and is more effective in cell-mediated lysis of human lymphocytes.