A Leader-Guided Substrate Tolerant RiPP Brominase Allows Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions for Peptides and Proteins

Abstract

Bioorthogonal derivatization of peptides and proteins enables investigations into their biological function and allows for exploitation of their therapeutic potential, among other varied deliverables. Herein, we describe a marine halogenating enzyme-assisted bioconjugation strategy in which an N-terminal leader peptide guides bromination of a C-terminal Trp residue in genetically encoded peptides and proteins, setting up further Trp arylation by Suzuki–Miyaura reactions. The bromination and subsequent cross-coupling reactions are residue-specific and regiospecific for the indole-6 position, occur under mild aqueous conditions, and do not require any modification of other Trp residues in the substrate peptide and/or protein. Workflows described herein demonstrate the applicability of halogenating enzymes in bioorthogonal conjugation chemistry.