Photoaffinity Labeling Chemistries Used to Map Biomolecular Interactions

Abstract Photoaffinity labeling (PAL) is one of the few biochemical techniques that can give direct evidence of biomolecular interactions in cells. Several photoactivatable functional groups have been adapted for use in PAL since its first implementation. The diversity of these chemistries has expanded the scope and fidelity of PAL experiments, but also increased the considerations during PAL probe design. In this review, we describe the major chemistries used in PAL experiments and their relative benefits and disadvantages. We additionally discuss recent examples of PAL experiments and provide recommendations on how to design a PAL probe.