Fluorinated aromatic amino acids are sensitive (19)f NMR probes for bromodomain-ligand interactions.
Mishra, N.K., Urick, A.K., Ember, S.W., Schonbrunn, E., Pomerantz, W.C.(2014) ACS Chem Biol 9: 2755-2760
- PubMed: 25290579 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/cb5007344
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4QZS - PubMed Abstract: 
We describe a (19)F NMR method for detecting bromodomain-ligand interactions using fluorine-labeled aromatic amino acids due to the conservation of aromatic residues in the bromodomain binding site. We test the sensitivity, accuracy, and speed of this method with small molecule ligands (+)-JQ1, BI2536, Dinaciclib, TG101348, and acetaminophen using three bromodomains Brd4, BrdT, and BPTF. Simplified (19)F NMR spectra allowed for simultaneous testing of multiple bromodomains to assess selectivity and identification of a new BPTF ligand. Fluorine labeling only modestly affected the Brd4 structure and function assessed by isothermal titration calorimetry, circular dichroism, and X-ray crystallography. The speed, ease of interpretation, and low concentration of protein needed for binding experiments affords a new method to discover and characterize both native and new ligands.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota , 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.