Arrest Peptide Profiling resolves co-translational folding pathways and chaperone interactions in vivo

Abstract

Cytosolic proteins begin to fold co-translationally as soon as they emerge from the ribosome during translation. These early co-translational steps are crucial for overall folding and are guided by an intricate network of interactions with molecular chaperones. Because cellular co-translational folding is challenging to detect, its timing and progression remain largely elusive. To quantitatively define co-translational folding in live cells, we developed a high-throughput method that we term "Arrest Peptide Profiling" (AP Profiling). Combining AP Profiling with single-molecule experiments, we delineate co-translational folding for a set of GTPase domains with similar structures, defining how topology shapes folding pathways. Genetic ablation of nascent chain-binding chaperones results in discrete and localized folding changes, highlighting how functional redundancy among chaperones is achieved by distinct engagement with the nascent protein. Our work provides a window into cellular folding pathways of structurally intricate proteins and paves the way for systematic studies of nascent protein folding at exceptional resolution and throughput.