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Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) is an elegant means of forming cyclic structural elements in both simple and complex molecules. Mechanistically, the reaction cycle is well understood, though subtle details concerning the fate of the catalyst and the appearance of yield-reducing by-products remain to be fully deciphered. We applied real-time analysis using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to probe the RCM reaction, including studying the dynamics of all charged species in the reaction mixture and investigating the nature of the by-products formed. The catalyst of choice was Grubbs’ second-generation catalyst. The principal findings included the fact that for slower reactions, by-products appeared that differed in mass from the starting material and product by increments of CH2; that isomerization reactions were responsible for these by-products; and that the catalyst decomposes to form charged products including [ClPCy3]+, [HPCy3]+, and the imidazolinium salt of the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand. In cases where RCM is slow, isomerization reactions play a disproportionate part in affecting yield of the desired product.

To elucidate the function of the transcriptional coregulator PRMT1 (protein arginine methyltranferase 1) in interferon (IFN) signaling, we investigated the expression of STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription) target genes in PRMT1-depleted cells. We show here that PRMT1 represses a subset of IFNγ-inducible STAT1 target genes in a methyltransferase-dependent manner. These genes are also regulated by the STAT1 inhibitor PIAS1 (protein inhibitor of activated STAT1). PIAS1 is arginine methylated by PRMT1 in vitro as well as in vivo upon IFN treatment. Mutational and mass spectrometric analysis of PIAS1 identifies Arg 303 as the single methylation site. Using both methylation-deficient and methylation-mimicking mutants, we find that arginine methylation of PIAS1 is essential for the repressive function of PRMT1 in IFN-dependent transcription and for the recruitment of PIAS1 to STAT1 target gene promoters in the late phase of the IFN response. Methylation-dependent promoter recruitment of PIAS1 results in the release of STAT1 and coincides with the decline of STAT1-activated transcription. Accordingly, knockdown of PRMT1 or PIAS1 enhances the anti-proliferative effect of IFNγ. Our findings identify PRMT1 as a novel and crucial negative regulator of STAT1 activation that controls PIAS1-mediated repression by arginine methylation.