1
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Lu Z, Shen Q, Bandari NC, Evans S, McDonnell L, Liu L, Jin W, Luna-Flores CH, Collier T, Talbo G, McCubbin T, Esquirol L, Myers C, Trau M, Dumsday G, Speight R, Howard CB, Vickers CE, Peng B. LowTempGAL: a highly responsive low temperature-inducible GAL system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae460. [PMID: 38808673 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Temperature is an important control factor for biologics biomanufacturing in precision fermentation. Here, we explored a highly responsive low temperature-inducible genetic system (LowTempGAL) in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two temperature biosensors, a heat-inducible degron and a heat-inducible protein aggregation domain, were used to regulate the GAL activator Gal4p, rendering the leaky LowTempGAL systems. Boolean-type induction was achieved by implementing a second-layer control through low-temperature-mediated repression on GAL repressor gene GAL80, but suffered delayed response to low-temperature triggers and a weak response at 30°C. Application potentials were validated for protein and small molecule production. Proteomics analysis suggested that residual Gal80p and Gal4p insufficiency caused suboptimal induction. 'Turbo' mechanisms were engineered through incorporating a basal Gal4p expression and a galactose-independent Gal80p-supressing Gal3p mutant (Gal3Cp). Varying Gal3Cp configurations, we deployed the LowTempGAL systems capable for a rapid stringent high-level induction upon the shift from a high temperature (37-33°C) to a low temperature (≤30°C). Overall, we present a synthetic biology procedure that leverages 'leaky' biosensors to deploy highly responsive Boolean-type genetic circuits. The key lies in optimisation of the intricate layout of the multi-factor system. The LowTempGAL systems may be applicable in non-conventional yeast platforms for precision biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Lu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Qianyi Shen
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Naga Chandra Bandari
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Samuel Evans
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Liam McDonnell
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Lian Liu
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The Queensland Node of Metabolomics Australia and Proteomics Australia (Q-MAP), Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Wanli Jin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Carlos Horacio Luna-Flores
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Thomas Collier
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Gert Talbo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The Queensland Node of Metabolomics Australia and Proteomics Australia (Q-MAP), Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Tim McCubbin
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lygie Esquirol
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Environment, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Chris Myers
- Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Matt Trau
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Geoff Dumsday
- Manufacturing, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Clayton, VIC, 3169, Australia
| | - Robert Speight
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Black Mountain, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Christopher B Howard
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Claudia E Vickers
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Bingyin Peng
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre of Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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2
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Zhu L, McNamara HM, Toettcher JE. Light-switchable transcription factors obtained by direct screening in mammalian cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3185. [PMID: 37268649 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38993-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic tools can provide fine spatial and temporal control over many biological processes. Yet the development of new light-switchable protein variants remains challenging, and the field still lacks general approaches to engineering or discovering protein variants with light-switchable biological functions. Here, we adapt strategies for protein domain insertion and mammalian-cell expression to generate and screen a library of candidate optogenetic tools directly in mammalian cells. The approach is based on insertion of the AsLOV2 photoswitchable domain at all possible positions in a candidate protein of interest, introduction of the library into mammalian cells, and light/dark selection for variants with photoswitchable activity. We demonstrate the approach's utility using the Gal4-VP64 transcription factor as a model system. Our resulting LightsOut transcription factor exhibits a > 150-fold change in transcriptional activity between dark and blue light conditions. We show that light-switchable function generalizes to analogous insertion sites in two additional Cys6Zn2 and C2H2 zinc finger domains, providing a starting point for optogenetic regulation of a broad class of transcription factors. Our approach can streamline the identification of single-protein optogenetic switches, particularly in cases where structural or biochemical knowledge is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Harold M McNamara
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Lewis Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Jared E Toettcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
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3
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Pouzet S, Cruz-Ramón J, Le Bec M, Cordier C, Banderas A, Barral S, Castaño-Cerezo S, Lautier T, Truan G, Hersen P. Optogenetic control of beta-carotene bioproduction in yeast across multiple lab-scales. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1085268. [PMID: 36814715 PMCID: PMC9939774 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1085268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics arises as a valuable tool to precisely control genetic circuits in microbial cell factories. Light control holds the promise of optimizing bioproduction methods and maximizing yields, but its implementation at different steps of the strain development process and at different culture scales remains challenging. In this study, we aim to control beta-carotene bioproduction using optogenetics in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and investigate how its performance translates across culture scales. We built four lab-scale illumination devices, each handling different culture volumes, and each having specific illumination characteristics and cultivating conditions. We evaluated optogenetic activation and beta-carotene production across devices and optimized them both independently. Then, we combined optogenetic induction and beta-carotene production to make a light-inducible beta-carotene producer strain. This was achieved by placing the transcription of the bifunctional lycopene cyclase/phytoene synthase CrtYB under the control of the pC120 optogenetic promoter regulated by the EL222-VP16 light-activated transcription factor, while other carotenogenic enzymes (CrtI, CrtE, tHMG) were expressed constitutively. We show that illumination, culture volume and shaking impact differently optogenetic activation and beta-carotene production across devices. This enabled us to determine the best culture conditions to maximize light-induced beta-carotene production in each of the devices. Our study exemplifies the stakes of scaling up optogenetics in devices of different lab scales and sheds light on the interplays and potential conflicts between optogenetic control and metabolic pathway efficiency. As a general principle, we propose that it is important to first optimize both components of the system independently, before combining them into optogenetic producing strains to avoid extensive troubleshooting. We anticipate that our results can help designing both strains and devices that could eventually lead to larger scale systems in an effort to bring optogenetics to the industrial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Pouzet
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Jessica Cruz-Ramón
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Matthias Le Bec
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Céline Cordier
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Alvaro Banderas
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Simon Barral
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Sara Castaño-Cerezo
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Recherche pour l′Agriculture, l′Alimentation et l′Environnement (INRAE), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA), Toulouse, France
| | - Thomas Lautier
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Recherche pour l′Agriculture, l′Alimentation et l′Environnement (INRAE), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA), Toulouse, France,CNRS@CREATE, Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gilles Truan
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de Recherche pour l′Agriculture, l′Alimentation et l′Environnement (INRAE), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA), Toulouse, France
| | - Pascal Hersen
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France,*Correspondence: Pascal Hersen,
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4
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Rojas V, Larrondo LF. Coupling Cell Communication and Optogenetics: Implementation of a Light-Inducible Intercellular System in Yeast. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:71-82. [PMID: 36534043 PMCID: PMC9872819 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cell communication is a widespread mechanism in biology, allowing the transmission of information about environmental conditions. In order to understand how cell communication modulates relevant biological processes such as survival, division, differentiation, and apoptosis, different synthetic systems based on chemical induction have been successfully developed. In this work, we coupled cell communication and optogenetics in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our approach is based on two strains connected by the light-dependent production of α-factor pheromone in one cell type, which induces gene expression in the other type. After the individual characterization of the different variants of both strains, the optogenetic intercellular system was evaluated by combining the cells under contrasting illumination conditions. Using luciferase as a reporter gene, specific co-cultures at a 1:1 ratio displayed activation of the response upon constant blue light, which was not observed for the same cell mixtures grown in darkness. Then, the system was assessed at several dark/blue-light transitions, where the response level varies depending on the moment in which illumination was delivered. Furthermore, we observed that the amplitude of response can be tuned by modifying the initial ratio between both strains. Finally, the two-population system showed higher fold inductions in comparison with autonomous strains. Altogether, these results demonstrated that external light information is propagated through a diffusible signaling molecule to modulate gene expression in a synthetic system involving microbial cells, which will pave the road for studies allowing optogenetic control of population-level dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Rojas
- Departamento
de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias
Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium
Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Luis F. Larrondo
- Departamento
de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias
Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium
Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago 8331150, Chile
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5
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Wegner SA, Barocio-Galindo RM, Avalos JL. The bright frontiers of microbial metabolic optogenetics. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2022; 71:102207. [PMID: 36103753 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, light-responsive systems from the field of optogenetics have been applied to several areas of metabolic engineering with remarkable success. By taking advantage of light's high tunability, reversibility, and orthogonality to host endogenous processes, optogenetic systems have enabled unprecedented dynamical controls of microbial fermentations for chemical production, metabolic flux analysis, and population compositions in co-cultures. In this article, we share our opinions on the current state of this new field of metabolic optogenetics.We make the case that it will continue to impact metabolic engineering in increasingly new directions, with the potential to challenge existing paradigms for metabolic pathway and strain optimization as well as bioreactor operation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - José L Avalos
- Department of Molecular Biology, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, USA; The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, USA; High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08544, USA.
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6
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Gramazio S, Trauth J, Bezold F, Essen LO, Taxis C, Spadaccini R. Light-induced fermenter production of derivatives of the sweet protein monellin is maximized in prestationary Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2100676. [PMID: 35481893 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics has great potential for biotechnology and metabolic engineering due to the cost-effective control of cellular activities. The usage of optogenetics techniques for the biosynthesis of bioactive molecules ensures reduced costs and enhanced regulatory possibilities. This requires development of efficient methods for light-delivery during a production process in a fermenter. Here, we benchmarked the fermenter production of a low-caloric sweetener in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with optogenetic tools against the production in small scale cell culture flasks. An expression system based on the light-controlled interaction between Cry2 and Cib1 was used for sweet-protein production. Optimization of the fermenter process was achieved by increasing the light-flux during the production phase to circumvent shading by yeast cells at high densities. Maximal amounts of the sweet-protein were produced in a pre-stationary growth phase, whereas at later stages, a decay in protein abundance was observable. Our investigation showcases the upscaling of an optogenetic production process from small flasks to a bioreactor. Optogenetic-controlled production in a fermenter is highly cost-effective due to the cheap inducer and therefore a viable alternative to chemicals for a process that requires an induction step. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Gramazio
- Department of Science and Technology, Universita' degli studi del Sannio, Benevento, 82100, Italy
| | - Jonathan Trauth
- Department of Biology/Genetics, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Filipp Bezold
- Unit for Structural Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lars-Oliver Essen
- Unit for Structural Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Christof Taxis
- Department of Biology/Genetics, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Roberta Spadaccini
- Department of Science and Technology, Universita' degli studi del Sannio, Benevento, 82100, Italy
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7
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Guo Y, Li F, Zhao J, Wei X, Wang Z, Liu J. Diverting mevalonate pathway metabolic flux leakage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for monoterpene geraniol production from cane molasses. Biochem Eng J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2022.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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8
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Hoffman SM, Tang AY, Avalos JL. Optogenetics Illuminates Applications in Microbial Engineering. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2022; 13:373-403. [PMID: 35320696 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-092120-092340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics has been used in a variety of microbial engineering applications, such as chemical and protein production, studies of cell physiology, and engineered microbe-host interactions. These diverse applications benefit from the precise spatiotemporal control that light affords, as well as its tunability, reversibility, and orthogonality. This combination of unique capabilities has enabled a surge of studies in recent years investigating complex biological systems with completely new approaches. We briefly describe the optogenetic tools that have been developed for microbial engineering, emphasizing the scientific advancements that they have enabled. In particular, we focus on the unique benefits and applications of implementing optogenetic control, from bacterial therapeutics to cybergenetics. Finally, we discuss future research directions, with special attention given to the development of orthogonal multichromatic controls. With an abundance of advantages offered by optogenetics, the future is bright in microbial engineering. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Volume 13 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Hoffman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA; , ,
| | - Allison Y Tang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA; , ,
| | - José L Avalos
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA; , , .,The Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Department of Molecular Biology, and High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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9
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Fölsz O, Lin CC, Task D, Riabinina O, Potter CJ. The Q-system: A Versatile Repressible Binary Expression System. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2540:35-78. [PMID: 35980572 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2541-5_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Binary expression systems are useful genetic tools for experimentally labeling or manipulating the function of defined cells. The Q-system is a repressible binary expression system that consists of a transcription factor QF (and the recently improved QF2/QF2w), the inhibitor QS, a QUAS-geneX effector, and a drug that inhibits QS (quinic acid). The Q-system can be used alone or in combination with other binary expression systems, such as GAL4/UAS and LexA/LexAop. In this review chapter, we discuss the past, present, and future of the Q-system for applications in Drosophila and other organisms. We discuss the in vivo application of the Q-system for transgenic labeling, the modular nature of QF that allows chimeric or split transcriptional activators to be developed, its temporal control by quinic acid, new methods to generate QF2 reagents, intersectional expression labeling, and its recent adoption into many emerging experimental species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Fölsz
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Chun-Chieh Lin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Giesel School of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Darya Task
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Christopher J Potter
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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