Development of compounds for targeted degradation of mammalian cryptochrome proteins

The mammalian Cryptochrome proteins (CRY1 and CRY2) are transcriptional repressors most notable for their role in circadian transcriptional feedback. Not all circadian rhythms depend on CRY proteins, however, and the CRY proteins are promiscuous interactors that also regulate many Other processes. In cells with chronic CRY deficiency, protein homeostasis is highly perturbed, with a basal increase in cellular stress and activation of key inflammatory signalling pathways. Here, we developed tools to delineate the specific effects of CRY reduction, rather than chronic deficiency, to better understand the direct functions of CRY proteins. Performing a bioluminescence screen and immunoblot validation, we identified compounds that resulted in CRY reduction. Using these compounds, we found that circadian PERIOD2 (PER2) protein rhythms persisted under CRY-depleted conditions. By quantitative mass spectrometry, we found that CRY-depleted cells partially phenocopied the proteomic dysregulation of CRY-deficient cells, but showed minimal circadian phenotypes. We did, however, also observe substantial off-target effects of these compounds on luciferase activity and could not ascertain a specific mechanism of action. This work therefore highlights both the utility and the challenges of targeted protein degradation and bioluminescence reporter approaches in disentangling the contribution of CRY proteins to circadian rhythmicity, homeostasis and innate immune regulation.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Circadian rhythms in Infection and immunity'.

PROTAC; cellular physiology; circadian rhythms; cryptochromes; mass spectrometry; protein degradation.