Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025

High-Throughput Cellular Profiling of Targeted Protein Degradation Compounds Using HiBiT CRISPR Cell Lines
Published on: November 9, 2020
DCAF16-Based Covalent Degradative Handles for the Modular Design of Degraders
Lauren M Orr1,2,3, Sydney J Tomlinson4,5,3, Hannah R Grupe1,2,3
1Department of Chemistry. University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.
Researchers developed a novel covalent degradative handle that enables targeted protein degradation. This versatile handle can be applied to various ligands, facilitating the degradation of challenging targets like BRD4 and the androgen receptor (AR) for therapeutic development.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Biology
- Drug Discovery
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Targeted protein degradation is a promising therapeutic strategy.
- Designing effective monovalent or molecular glue degraders is complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel covalent degradative handles for targeted protein degradation.
- To explore E3 ligase interactions for degrader design.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of BET-domain inhibitor JQ1 analogs with electrophilic handles.
- Assays to assess proteasome-dependent degradation of target proteins.
- Identification of E3 ligase partners and covalent modification sites.
Main Results:
- An elaborated fumaramide handle induced proteasome-dependent BRD4 degradation via CUL4DCAF16.
- A truncated fumaramide handle showed broader substrate scope, degrading BRD4, CDK4/6, SMARCA2/4, and AR/AR-V7.
- The truncated handle targets CUL4DCAF16 at C173 and C178.
Conclusions:
- A novel DCAF16-targeting covalent degradative handle was identified.
- This handle is transplantable across diverse protein-targeting ligands.
- Enables modular design of monovalent or bifunctional degraders for challenging targets.
Related Concept Videos
Deleterious Substances in Aggregate
Another type of impurity is clay and fine material that...
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienophiles
Characteristics of Dienophiles
Generally, the best dienophiles are alkenes containing electron-withdrawing substituents such as carbonyl, nitrile, and nitro groups. The feasibility of a Diels–Alder reaction depends...
Synthesis and Decomposition Reactions
meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO2, –CN, –CHO, –⁠CO2R, –COR, –CO2H
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienes
Characteristics of the diene
Conformation
The simplest example of a diene is 1,3-butadiene, an acyclic conjugated π system. At room temperature, the molecule exists as a mixture of s-cis and s-trans conformers by virtue of rotation around the carbon–carbon single bond. Although the s-trans isomer is...

