A cellular chemical probe targeting the chromodomains of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1

We report the design and characterization of UNC3866, a potent antagonist of the methyl-lysine (Kme) reading function of the Polycomb CBX and CDY families of chromodomains. Polycomb CBX proteins regulate gene expression by targeting Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 to sites of H3K27me3 via their chromodomains. UNC3866 binds the chromodomains of CBX4 and CBX7 most potently with a K(d) of ∼100 nM for each, and is 6- to 18-fold selective versus seven other CBX and CDY chromodomains while being highly selective versus >250 other protein targets. X-ray crystallography revealed that UNC3866 closely mimics the interactions of the methylated H3 tail with these chromodomains. UNC4195, a biotinylated derivative of UNC3866, was used to demonstrate that UNC3866 engages intact PRC1 and that EED incorporation into PRC1 is isoform-dependent in PC3 prostate cancer cells. Finally, UNC3866 inhibits PC3 cell proliferation, a known CBX7 phenotype, while UNC4219, a methylated negative control compound, has negligible effects.