irCLIP-RNP reveals patterns of dynamic protein associations on RNA [RNA-seq]

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) control varied processes, including RNA splicing, stability, transport, and translation. Dysfunctional RNA-RBP interactions contribute to the pathogenesis of human disease, however, characterizing the nature and dynamics of multiprotein assemblies on RNA has been challenging. To address this, non-isotopic ligation-based ultraviolet crosslinking immunoprecipitation was combined with mass spectrometry (irCLIP-RNP) to identify RNA-dependent associated proteins (RDAPs) co-bound to RNA with any RBP of interest. irCLIP-RNP defined landscapes of multimeric protein assemblies on RNA, uncovering previously unknown patterns of RBP-RNA associations, including cell-type-selective combinatorial relationships between RDAPs and primary RBPs. irCLIP-RNP also defined dynamic RDAP remodeling in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF), uncovering EGF-induced recruitment of UPF1 adjacent to HNRNPC to effect splicing surveillance of cell proliferation mRNAs. To identify the RNAs simultaneously co-bound by multiple studied RBPs, a sequential immunoprecipitation irCLIP (Re-CLIP) method was also developed. Re-CLIP confirmed binding relationships seen in irCLIP-RNP and identified HNRNPC and UPF1 RBP co-binding on RND3 and DDX3X mRNAs. irCLIP-RNP and Re-CLIP provide a framework to identify and characterize dynamic RNA-protein assemblies in living cells.