Chemoproteomics

Chemoproteomics is a field that combines chemical biology and proteomics to study the interactions between small molecules and proteins within a biological system. It aims to understand how drugs, metabolites, and other exogenous or endogenous small molecules affect the proteome, the entire complement of proteins expressed by an organism. This involves identifying the direct protein targets of these small molecules, as well as understanding the downstream consequences of these interactions.

The core principle of chemoproteomics is to use chemical probes and advanced analytical techniques, primarily mass spectrometry, to identify and quantify protein-ligand interactions. Various chemical proteomics strategies exist, including activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), which uses reactive probes to covalently label and identify active enzymes, and chemical proteomics using affinity enrichment, where a small molecule ligand is immobilized on a resin to pull down its interacting proteins. Other methods include target identification through thermal proteome profiling and drug affinity-based profiling.

By elucidating these molecular interactions, chemoproteomics contributes significantly to drug discovery and development, providing insights into drug mechanisms of action, off-target effects, and potential biomarkers for drug response. It also helps in understanding cellular signaling pathways and metabolic networks. The field is rapidly evolving with the development of more sophisticated chemical probes and mass spectrometry technologies.