Affinity chromatography using 2′ fluoro-substituted RNAs for detection of RNA-protein interactions in RNase-rich or RNase-treated extracts

Abstract

Use of RNA affinity chromatography is commonly used to identify RNA binding proteins that interact with specific RNA cis-elements that function in post-transcriptional gene regulation. These purifications can be complicated by residual RNase activity in cellular extracts that can degrade the RNAs on these affinity columns. Furthermore, some proteins may associate indirectly with the column as a component of multi-protein complexes that are “tethered” through the binding of cellular RNAs. We present a protocol for an RNA affinity procedure that can be used in conjunction with RNase-rich or RNase-treated extracts by using RNAs synthesized with 2′ fluoro-substituted cytidine triphosphate (CTP) and uridine triphosphate (UTP). The resulting RNAs are shown to be RNase A–resistant and capable of direct coupling to adipic acid dihydrazide agarose beads. Using an RNA cis-element previously shown to bind hnRNP M, we demonstrated that the substituted RNAs preserve binding capability by a common class of RNA binding proteins. Our results provide a method that may be used more generally for RNA affinity purification or as a validation step to verify more direct binding of a given RNA binding protein to a target RNA.