Described is the spatiotemporally controlled labeling and patterning of biomolecules in live cells through the catalytic activation of bioorthogonal chemistry with light, referred to as "CABL". Here, an unreactive dihydrotetrazine (DHTz) is photocatalytically oxidized in the intracellular environment by ambient O 2 to produce a tetrazine that immediately reacts with a trans-cyclooctene (TCO) dienophile. 6-(2-Pyridyl)dihydrotetrazine-3-carboxamides were developed as stable, cell permeable DHTz reagents that upon oxidation produce the most reactive tetrazines ever used in live cells with Diels−Alder kinetics exceeding k 2 of 10 6 M −1 s −1 . CABL photocatalysts are based on fluorescein or silarhodamine dyes with activation at 470 or 660 nm. Strategies for limiting extracellular production of singlet oxygen are described that increase the cytocompatibility of photocatalysis. The HaloTag self-labeling platform was used to introduce DHTz tags to proteins localized in the nucleus, mitochondria, actin, or cytoplasm, and high-yielding subcellular activation and labeling with a TCO-fluorophore were demonstrated. CABL is light-dose dependent, and two-photon excitation promotes CABL at the suborganelle level to selectively pattern live cells under no-wash conditions. CABL was also applied to spatially resolved live-cell labeling of an endogenous protein target by using TIRF microscopy to selectively activate intracellular monoacylglycerol lipase tagged with DHTz-labeled small molecule covalent inhibitor. Beyond spatiotemporally controlled labeling, CABL also improves the efficiency of "ordinary" tetrazine ligations by rescuing the reactivity of commonly used 3-aryl-6-methyltetrazine reporters that become partially reduced to DHTzs inside cells. The spatiotemporal control and fast rates of photoactivation and labeling of CABL should enable a range of biomolecular labeling applications in living systems.

Sulfenylation (RSH->RSOH) is a posttranslational protein modification associated with cellular mechanisms for signal transduction and the regulation of reactive oxygen species. Protein sulfenic acids are challenging to identify and study due to their electrophilic and transient nature. Described here are sulfenic acid modifying trans-cycloocten-5-ol (SAM-TCO) probes for labeling sulfenic acid functionality in live cells. These probes enable a new mode of capturing sulfenic acids via transannular thioetherification, whereas 'ordinary' trans-cyclooctenes react only slowly with sulfenic acids. SAM-TCOs combine with sulfenic acid forms of a model peptide and proteins to form stable adducts. Analogously SAM-TCO with the selenenic acid form of a model protein leads to a selenoetherification product. Control experiments illustrate the need for the transannulation process coupled with the activated trans-cycloalkene functionality. Bioorthogonal quenching of excess unreacted SAM-TCOs with tetrazines in live cells provides both temporal control and a means of preventing artifacts caused by cellular-lysis. A SAM-TCO biotin conjugate was used to label protein sulfenic acids in live cells, and subsequent quenching by tetrazine prevented further labeling even under harshly oxidizing conditions. A cell-based proteomic study validates the ability of SAM-TCO probes to identify and quantify known sulfenic acid redox proteins as well as targets not captured by dimedone-based probes.

trans-Cyclooctenes (TCOs) are essential partners for the fastest known bioorthogonal reactions, but current synthetic methods are limited by poor diastereoselectivity. Especially hard to access are hydrophilic TCOs with favorable physicochemical properties for live cell or in vivo experiments. Described is a new class of TCOs, 'a-TCOs', that is prepared in high yield via stereocontrolled 1,2-additions of nucleophiles to trans-cyclooct-4-enone, which itself was prepared on large scale in two steps from 1,5-cyclooctadiene. Computational transition state models rationalize the diastereoselectivity of 1,2-additions to deliver a-TCO products, which were also shown to be more reactive than standard TCOs and less hydrophobic than even a trans-oxocene analog. Illustrating the favorable physicochemical properties of a-TCOs, a fluorescent TAMRA derivative in live HeLa cells was shown to be cell-permeable through intracellular Diels-Alder chemistry and to washout more rapidly than other TCOs. File list (2) download file view on ChemRxiv aTCO paper Jan 30 JMF no watermark.pdf (3.24 MiB) download file view on ChemRxiv aTCO SI Jan 30 no water mark.pdf (3.60 MiB)

trans-Cyclooctenes and trans-cycloheptenes have long been the subject of physical organic study, but the broader application had been limited by synthetic accessibility. This account describes the development of a general, flow photochemical method for the preparative synthesis of trans-cycloalkene derivatives. Here, photoisomerization takes place in a closed-loop flow reactor where the reaction mixture is continuously cycled through Ag(I) on silicagel. Selective complexation of the trans-isomer by Ag(I) during flow drives an otherwise unfavorable isomeric ratio toward the transisomer. Analogous photoreactions under batch-conditions are low yielding, and flow chemistry is necessary in order to obtain trans-cycloalkenes in preparatively useful yields. The applications of the method to bioorthogonal chemistry and stereospecific transannulation chemistry are described.The unusual reactivity and well-defined chiral structure of trans-cycloalkenes has made them attractive targets for synthesis for nearly 70 years. [1][2][3] For example, trans-cyclooctene possesses planar chirality and displays a high barrier to racemization (E a = 35.6 kcal/mol), [4] and the most stable "crown" conformer has an alternating sequence of equatorial and axial hydrogens that is akin to chair cyclohexane. [5][6] The double bond of trans-cyclooctene is twisted severely in the crown conformation, [7] and as a consequence the HOMO of trans-cyclooctene is relatively high in energy. [8] trans-Cycloheptene also has a rigid structure with a distorted alkene. [7] The double bonds of medium-ring trans-alkenes are twisted. [7] trans-Cycloalkenes display unusual reactivity in HOMOalkene controlled cycloaddition reactions with dienes, [9] 1,3dipoles [8] and ketenes. [10] Strained trans-cycloalkenes also serve as ligands for transition metals. [11][12][13][14][15][16] This reactivity profile has made trans-cycloalkanes interesting targets for applications in synthesis and biology.The broadest applications of trans-cycloalkenes are in the field of bioorthogonal chemistry. The inverse-electron demand Diels-Alder reaction between tetrazines and strained alkenes has a rich history in physical organic and synthetic chemistry (Figure 1). [17][18][19] In 2008, three groups described the bioorthogonal reactions of tetrazines with strained alkenes. [20][21][22] The variant introduced by our group that used trans-cyclooctene is marked by exceptionally rapid kinetics, with rate constants that can exceed 10 6 M À 1 s À 1 in the fastest cases. [23][24] With the advances including the development of fluorogenic tetrazines [25] and reactions in live cells [26] and animals, [27] the tetrazine ligation has become a widely used tool for applications that span chemical biology, biomedical imaging, and materials science. [28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] This account describes the development of general, flow photochemical methods for the preparative synthesis of transcycloalkene derivatives and enabled applications in synthesis and bioorthogonal chemistry. Selectiv...

Described is the spatiotemporally controlled labeling and patterning of biomolecules in live cells through the catalytic activation of bioorthogonal chemistry with light, referred to as “CABL”. Here, an unreactive dihydrotetrazine (DHTz) is photocatalytically oxidized in the intracellular environment by ambient O2 to produce a tetrazine that immediately reacts with a trans-cyclooctene (TCO) dieno-phile. 6-(2-Pyridyl)-dihydrotetrazine-3-carboxamides were developed as stable, cell permeable DHTz reagents that upon oxidation pro-duce the most reactive tetrazines ever used in live cells with Diels-Alder kinetics exceeding k2 106 M-1s-1. CABL photocatalysts are based on fluorescein or silarhodamine dyes with activation at 470 or 660 nm. Strategies for limiting extracellular production of singlet oxygen are described that increase the cytocompatibility of photocatalysis. The HaloTag self-labeling platform was used to introduce DHTz tags to proteins localized in the nucleus, mitochondria, actin or cytoplasm, and high-yielding subcellular activation and labeling with a TCO-fluorophore was demonstrated. CABL is light-dose dependent, and 2-photon excitation promotes CABL at the sub-organelle level to selectively pattern live cells under no-wash conditions. CABL was also applied to spatially resolved live-cell labeling of an endogenous pro-tein target by using TIRF microscopy to selectively activate intracellular monoacylglycerol lipase tagged with DHTz-labeled small mole-cule covalent inhibitor. Beyond spatiotemporally controlled labeling, CABL also improves the efficiency of ‘ordinary’ tetrazine ligations by rescuing the reactivity of commonly used 3-aryl-6-methyltetrazine reporters that become partially reduced to DHTzs inside cells. The spatiotemporal control and fast rates of photoactivation and labeling of CABL should enable a range of biomolecular labeling applications in living systems.