Multiplexing PKA and ERK1&2 kinases FRET biosensors in living cells using single excitation wavelength dual colour FLIM

Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 20:7:41026. doi: 10.1038/srep41026.

Abstract

Monitoring of different signalling enzymes in a single assay using multiplex biosensing provides a multidimensional workspace to elucidate biological processes, signalling pathway crosstalk, and determine precise sequence of events at the single living cell level. In this study, we interrogate the complexity in cAMP/PKA-MAPK/ERK1&2 crosstalk by using multi-parameter biosensing experiments to correlate biochemical activities simultaneously in time and space. Using a single excitation wavelength dual colour FLIM method we are able to detect fluorescence lifetime images of two donors to simultaneously measure PKA and ERK1&2 kinase activities in the same cellular localization by using FRET biosensors. To this end, we excite two FRET donors mTFP1 and LSSmOrange with a 440 nm wavelength and we alleviate spectral bleed-through associated limitations with the very dim-fluorescent acceptor ShadowG for mTFP1 and the red-shifted mKate2 for LSSmOrange. The simultaneous recording of PKA and ERK1&2 kinase activities reveals concomitant EGF-mediated activations of both kinases in HeLa cells. Under these conditions the subsequent Forskolin-induced cAMP release reverses the transient increase of EGF-mediated ERK1&2 kinase activity while reinforcing PKA activation. Here we propose a validated methodology for multiparametric kinase biosensing in living cells using FRET-FLIM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / analysis*
  • Cytological Techniques / methods*
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / analysis*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / analysis*
  • Optical Imaging / methods*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • MAPK1 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3