Optogenetic regulation of endogenous proteins

Nat Commun. 2020 Jan 30;11(1):605. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14460-4.

Abstract

Techniques of protein regulation, such as conditional gene expression, RNA interference, knock-in and knock-out, lack sufficient spatiotemporal accuracy, while optogenetic tools suffer from non-physiological response due to overexpression artifacts. Here we present a near-infrared light-activatable optogenetic system, which combines the specificity and orthogonality of intrabodies with the spatiotemporal precision of optogenetics. We engineer optically-controlled intrabodies to regulate genomically expressed protein targets and validate the possibility to further multiplex protein regulation via dual-wavelength optogenetic control. We apply this system to regulate cytoskeletal and enzymatic functions of two non-tagged endogenous proteins, actin and RAS GTPase, involved in complex functional networks sensitive to perturbations. The optogenetically-enhanced intrabodies allow fast and reversible regulation of both proteins, as well as simultaneous monitoring of RAS signaling with visible-light biosensors, enabling all-optical approach. Growing number of intrabodies should make their incorporation into optogenetic tools the versatile technology to regulate endogenous targets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Cell Movement / radiation effects
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cell Nucleus / radiation effects
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Light
  • Optogenetics*
  • Protein Engineering
  • Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Actins
  • Proteins
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases