Optical Control of Small Molecule-Induced Protein Degradation

As an emerging approach to protein perturbation, small molecule-induced protein degradation has gained significant attention as both a chemical tool and a potential therapeutic. To enable discreet spatiotemporal control over its activity, we have developed a broadly applicable approach for the optical control of small molecule-induced protein degradation. Installation of photolabile caging groups onto ligands recruiting Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) and cereblon (CRBN) E3 ubiquitin ligases enabled optical control over protein degradation.