Quantifying drug-target engagement in live cells using sulfonyl fluoride chemical probes

Phenotypic screening in disease-relevant models identifies small molecule hits with desirable efficacy but often with unknown modes of action. Target identification and validation are integral to successful biomedical research. Technologies are required to validate the biological target (or targets) through which a pharmacological agent is proposed to exert its effects. This work details the rational structure-based design, synthetic preparation and cell-based application of a clickable sulfonyl fluoride chemical probe to directly report on the mechanism of a series of compounds previously discovered in a reporter gene assay. Quantification of drug-target occupancy in living human primary cells enabled a deeper understanding of the molecular pharmacology of the chemotype. The technology described herein should be of broad interest to those involved in chemical biology research and the drug discovery endeavor.