OptoRibo-seq for spatiotemporally resolved mapping of the local protein translatome

R Ruixuan Wang R Ruixiang Wang (Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Peking University) W Wentao Wang (College of Pharmaceutical Sciences) Y Yanjun Liu F Fu Zheng (College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Peking University) H Huixin Luo (State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica) P Peng R. Chen P Peng Zou (College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Peking University)

Abstract

Localized protein translation occurs in numerous subcellular compartments and regulates diverse biological processes by rapidly changing protein compositions in response to subcellular needs. Existing assays for subcellular local translation either require physical isolation, which is prone to contamination and loss of material, or imaging-based readout, which is often hampered with low throughput. In this study, we report the development of the optoRibo-seq method that features photoactivatable enzyme-mediated proximity labeling of ribosomes in genetically specified subcellular locations. We demonstrate the spatial specificity of optoRibo-seq at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, with a temporal resolution of 1 min. In cells undergoing chemically induced ER stress, optoRibo-seq allowed mapping of the dynamic changes in the ER-proximal translatome, identifying transcripts involved in protein folding and targeting. Our strategy provides a general platform for spatiotemporally resolved profiling of subcellular protein translation.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 123, Issue 21
Published May 26, 2026
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (8)

R

Ruixuan Wang

R

Ruixiang Wang

Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, PKU-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Peking University

W

Wentao Wang

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Y

Yanjun Liu

F

Fu Zheng

College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Peking University

H

Huixin Luo

State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica

P

Peng R. Chen

P

Peng Zou

College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Peking University