FRET-assisted photoactivation of flavoproteins for in vivo two-photon optogenetics

Nat Methods. 2019 Oct;16(10):1029-1036. doi: 10.1038/s41592-019-0541-5. Epub 2019 Sep 9.

Abstract

Optical dimerizers have been developed to untangle signaling pathways, but they are of limited use in vivo, partly due to their inefficient activation under two-photon (2P) excitation. To overcome this problem, we developed Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-assisted photoactivation, or FRAPA. On 2P excitation, mTagBFP2 efficiently absorbs and transfers the energy to the chromophore of CRY2. Based on structure-guided engineering, a chimeric protein with 40% FRET efficiency was developed and named 2P-activatable CRY2, or 2paCRY2. 2paCRY2 was employed to develop a RAF1 activation system named 2paRAF. In three-dimensionally cultured cells expressing 2paRAF, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was efficiently activated by 2P excitation at single-cell resolution. Photoactivation of ERK was also accomplished in the epidermal cells of 2paRAF-expressing mice. We further developed an mTFP1-fused LOV domain that exhibits efficient response to 2P excitation. Collectively, FRAPA will pave the way to single-cell optical control of signaling pathways in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Flavoproteins / metabolism*
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / methods*
  • Mice
  • Optogenetics*
  • Photons*

Substances

  • Flavoproteins
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases