A unified photosensitizer platform for in situ DNA-, RNA-, and protein-directed proximity labeling

Cells depend on the spatial organization of proteins, RNA, and DNA into discrete subcellular compartments. Previous methods have largely centered on measuring spatial organization based on only one of these biomolecular classes at a time. Here, we demonstrate that POCA photocatalytic proximity labeling can serve as a unified photosensitizer-based platform for profiling the proximal proteomes of protein, RNA, and DNA targets within a single experimental framework. We show that POCA can harness standard immunofluorescence or in situ hybridization workflows to specifically target organic fluorophore photosensitizers to intracellular targets for proximity labeling in fixed cells. POCA-targeted proximity labeling requires minimal cellular input and does not require genetic engineering. Additionally, POCA photosensitizers are selected to also be fluorescent, enabling direct confirmation of on-target localization by imaging prior to proteomic analysis. To demonstrate broad utility, we apply POCA across multiple molecular targets spanning protein, RNA, and genomic DNA, including components of the nuclear pore complex, nucleolus, nuclear speckles, telomeres, and pericentromeric heterochromatin. By anchoring proximity labeling to both a protein and an RNA within the same nuclear compartment, we resolve shared and distinct proximal proteomes from orthogonal molecular perspectives.Competing Interest StatementD.K.S. is a collaborator with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Genentech, Calico Labs, Matchpoint Therapeutics, and AI Proteins. K.M.B is a collaborator with Thermo Fisher Scientific and on the advisory board for Matchpoint Therapeutics. B.J.B. has filed a patent application covering aspects of this work (US Patent App. 18/728,937). B.J.B. is listed as an inventor on patent applications related to the SABER technology related to this work (US Patent 11,492,661; US Patent App. 18/607,269). E.L.H. also collaborates with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Genentech, and Xaira Therapeutics and consults for Calico Labs, Matchpoint Therapeutics, and Flagship Pioneering. Patents and patent applications covering azetidine-containing rhodamine dyes (with inventors J.B.G. and L.D.L.) are assigned to HHMI. L.D.L. is a scientific cofounder, consultant, and shareholder of Eikon Therapeutics. The other authors declare no conflicts.National Institutes of Health, R35GM137916, R35GM150919, DP2GM146246, P30 CA015704, U24HG006673, T32HL007093W. M. Keck Foundation, https://ror.org/000dswa46Pew Charitable Trusts, https://ror.org/02xhk2825Andy Hill CARE FoundationDavid and Lucile Packard Foundation, https://ror.org/032atxq54Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, https://ror.org/01gd7b947