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Frei MS, Mehta S, Zhang J. Next-Generation Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors Illuminate Cell Signaling and Metabolism. Annu Rev Biophys 2024; 53:275-297. [PMID: 38346245 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-030722-021359] [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: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors have revolutionized the study of cell signaling and metabolism, as they allow for live-cell measurements with high spatiotemporal resolution. This success has spurred the development of tailor-made biosensors that enable the study of dynamic phenomena on different timescales and length scales. In this review, we discuss different approaches to enhancing and developing new biosensors. We summarize the technologies used to gain structural insights into biosensor design and comment on useful screening technologies. Furthermore, we give an overview of different applications where biosensors have led to key advances over recent years. Finally, we give our perspective on where future work is bound to make a large impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Frei
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA; , ,
| | - Sohum Mehta
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA; , ,
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA; , ,
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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Winter DL, Wairara AR, Bennett JL, Donald WA, Glover DJ. Protein Interaction Kinetics Delimit the Performance of Phosphorylation-Driven Protein Switches. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:1781-1797. [PMID: 38830815 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation and dephosphorylation can rapidly alter protein surface chemistry and structural conformation, which can switch protein-protein interactions (PPIs) within signaling networks. Recently, de novo-designed phosphorylation-responsive protein switches have been created that harness kinase- and phosphatase-mediated phosphorylation to modulate PPIs. PTM-driven protein switches are promising tools for investigating PTM dynamics in living cells, developing biocompatible nanodevices, and engineering signaling pathways to program cell behavior. However, little is known about the physical and kinetic constraints of PTM-driven protein switches, which limits their practical application. In this study, we present a framework to evaluate two-component PTM-driven protein switches based on four performance metrics: effective concentration, dynamic range, response time, and reversibility. Our computational models reveal an intricate relationship between the binding kinetics, phosphorylation kinetics, and switch concentration that governs the sensitivity and reversibility of PTM-driven protein switches. Building upon the insights of the interaction modeling, we built and evaluated novel phosphorylation-driven protein switches consisting of phosphorylation-sensitive coiled coils as sensor domains fused to fluorescent proteins as actuator domains. By modulating the phosphorylation state of the switches with a specific protein kinase and phosphatase, we demonstrate fast, reversible transitions between "on" and "off" states. The response of the switches linearly correlated to the kinase concentration, demonstrating its potential as a biosensor for kinase measurements in real time. As intended, the switches responded to specific kinase activity with an increase in the fluorescence signal and our model could be used to distinguish between two mechanisms of switch activation: dimerization or a structural rearrangement. The protein switch kinetics model developed here should enable PTM-driven switches to be designed with ideal performance for specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Winter
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Adelgisa R Wairara
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jack L Bennett
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - William A Donald
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Dominic J Glover
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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Paredes A, Iheacho C, Smith AT. Metal Messengers: Communication in the Bacterial World through Transition-Metal-Sensing Two-Component Systems. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2339-2357. [PMID: 37539997 PMCID: PMC10530140 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria survive in highly dynamic and complex environments due, in part, to the presence of systems that allow the rapid control of gene expression in the presence of changing environmental stimuli. The crosstalk between intra- and extracellular bacterial environments is often facilitated by two-component signal transduction systems that are typically composed of a transmembrane histidine kinase and a cytosolic response regulator. Sensor histidine kinases and response regulators work in tandem with their modular domains containing highly conserved structural features to control a diverse array of genes that respond to changing environments. Bacterial two-component systems are widespread and play crucial roles in many important processes, such as motility, virulence, chemotaxis, and even transition metal homeostasis. Transition metals are essential for normal prokaryotic physiological processes, and the presence of these metal ions may also influence pathogenic virulence if their levels are appropriately controlled. To do so, bacteria use transition-metal-sensing two-component systems that bind and respond to rapid fluctuations in extracytosolic concentrations of transition metals. This perspective summarizes the structural and metal-binding features of bacterial transition-metal-sensing two-component systems and places a special emphasis on understanding how these systems are used by pathogens to establish infection in host cells and how these systems may be targeted for future therapeutic developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Paredes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland 21250, United States
| | - Chioma Iheacho
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland 21250, United States
| | - Aaron T Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland 21250, United States
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Liu Y, Yuan G, Hassan MM, Abraham PE, Mitchell JC, Jacobson D, Tuskan GA, Khakhar A, Medford J, Zhao C, Liu CJ, Eckert CA, Doktycz MJ, Tschaplinski TJ, Yang X. Biological and Molecular Components for Genetically Engineering Biosensors in Plants. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9863496. [PMID: 37850147 PMCID: PMC10521658 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9863496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants adapt to their changing environments by sensing and responding to physical, biological, and chemical stimuli. Due to their sessile lifestyles, plants experience a vast array of external stimuli and selectively perceive and respond to specific signals. By repurposing the logic circuitry and biological and molecular components used by plants in nature, genetically encoded plant-based biosensors (GEPBs) have been developed by directing signal recognition mechanisms into carefully assembled outcomes that are easily detected. GEPBs allow for in vivo monitoring of biological processes in plants to facilitate basic studies of plant growth and development. GEPBs are also useful for environmental monitoring, plant abiotic and biotic stress management, and accelerating design-build-test-learn cycles of plant bioengineering. With the advent of synthetic biology, biological and molecular components derived from alternate natural organisms (e.g., microbes) and/or de novo parts have been used to build GEPBs. In this review, we summarize the framework for engineering different types of GEPBs. We then highlight representative validated biological components for building plant-based biosensors, along with various applications of plant-based biosensors in basic and applied plant science research. Finally, we discuss challenges and strategies for the identification and design of biological components for plant-based biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Guoliang Yuan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Md Mahmudul Hassan
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali, 8602, Bangladesh
| | - Paul E. Abraham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Julie C. Mitchell
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Daniel Jacobson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Gerald A. Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Arjun Khakhar
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - June Medford
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Cheng Zhao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Chang-Jun Liu
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
| | - Carrie A. Eckert
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Mitchel J. Doktycz
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Timothy J. Tschaplinski
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
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