Single-molecule approach to immunoprecipitated protein complexes: insights into miRNA uridylation

Single-molecule techniques have been used for only a subset of biological problems because of difficulties in studying proteins that require cofactors or post-translational modifications. Here, we present a new method integrating single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and immunopurification to study protein complexes. We used this method to investigate Lin28-mediated microRNA uridylation by TUT4 (terminal uridylyl transferase 4, polyU polymerase), which regulates let-7 microRNA biogenesis. Our real-time analysis of the uridylation by the TUT4 immunoprecipitates suggests that Lin28 functions as a processivity factor of TUT4. Our new technique, SIMPlex (single-molecule approach to immunoprecipitated protein complexes), provides a universal tool to analyse complex proteins at the single-molecule level.