Deciphering the architecture and interactome of hnRNP proteins and enigmRBPs

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have conserved domains and consensus sequences that interact with RNAs and other proteins forming ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. RNPs are involved in the regulation of several cellular processes, including transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA transport, localization, degradation and storage, and ultimately control of translation. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) comprise a family of RBPs that mediate transcription control and nuclear processing of transcripts. Some hnRNPs are part of the spliceosome complex, a dynamic machinery formed by RNPs that regulate alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs. Here, chemical crosslinking of proteins was applied to identify specific interacting regions and protein structural features of hnRNPs: hnRNPA1, hnRNPA2/B1, hnRNPC, and RALY. The results reveal interaction of these proteins within RNA-binding domains and conserved motifs, providing evidence of a coordinated action of known regulatory sequences of RBPs. Moreover, these crosslinking data enable structural model generation for RBPs, illustrating how crosslinking mass spectrometry can complement other structural methods.