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Porta-de-la-Riva M, Morales-Curiel LF, Carolina Gonzalez A, Krieg M. Bioluminescence as a functional tool for visualizing and controlling neuronal activity in vivo. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:024203. [PMID: 38348359 PMCID: PMC10861157 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.2.024203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
The use of bioluminescence as a reporter for physiology in neuroscience is as old as the discovery of the calcium-dependent photon emission of aequorin. Over the years, luciferases have been largely replaced by fluorescent reporters, but recently, the field has seen a renaissance of bioluminescent probes, catalyzed by unique developments in imaging technology, bioengineering, and biochemistry to produce luciferases with previously unseen colors and intensity. This is not surprising as the advantages of bioluminescence make luciferases very attractive for noninvasive, longitudinal in vivo observations without the need of an excitation light source. Here, we review how the development of dedicated and specific sensor-luciferases afforded, among others, transcranial imaging of calcium and neurotransmitters, or cellular metabolites and physical quantities such as forces and membrane voltage. Further, the increased versatility and light output of luciferases have paved the way for a new field of functional bioluminescence optogenetics, in which the photon emission of the luciferase is coupled to the gating of a photosensor, e.g., a channelrhodopsin and we review how they have been successfully used to engineer synthetic neuronal connections. Finally, we provide a primer to consider important factors in setting up functional bioluminescence experiments, with a particular focus on the genetic model Caenorhabditis elegans, and discuss the leading challenges that the field needs to overcome to regain a competitive advantage over fluorescence modalities. Together, our paper caters to experienced users of bioluminescence as well as novices who would like to experience the advantages of luciferases in their own hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis-Felipe Morales-Curiel
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adriana Carolina Gonzalez
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Krieg
- ICFO—Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Klein E, Marsh S, Becker J, Andermann M, Lehtinen M, Moore CI. BioLuminescent OptoGenetics in the choroid plexus: integrated opto- and chemogenetic control in vivo. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:024210. [PMID: 38948888 PMCID: PMC11213259 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.2.024210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Significance The choroid plexus (ChP) epithelial network displays diverse dynamics, including propagating calcium waves and individuated fluctuations in single cells. These rapid events underscore the possibility that ChP dynamics may reflect behaviorally relevant and clinically important changes in information processing and signaling. Optogenetic and chemogenetic tools provide spatiotemporally precise and sustained approaches for testing such dynamics in vivo. Here, we describe the feasibility of a novel combined opto- and chemogenetic tool, BioLuminescent-OptoGenetics (BL-OG), for the ChP in vivo. In the "LuMinOpsin" (LMO) BL-OG strategy, a luciferase is tethered to an adjacent optogenetic element. This molecule allows chemogenetic activation when the opsin is driven by light produced through luciferase binding a small molecule (luciferin) or by conventional optogenetic light sources and BL-OG report of activation through light production. Aim To test the viability of BL-OG/LMO for ChP control. Approach Using transgenic and Cre-directed targeting to the ChP, we expressed LMO3 (a Gaussia luciferase-VChR1 fusion), a highly effective construct in neural systems. In mice expressing LMO3 in ChP, we directly imaged BL light production following multiple routes of coelenterazine (CTZ: luciferin) administration using an implanted cannula system. We also used home-cage videography with Deep LabCut analysis to test for any impact of repeated CTZ administration on basic health and behavioral indices. Results Multiple routes of CTZ administration drove BL photon production, including intracerebroventricular, intravenous, and intraperitoneal injection. Intravenous administration resulted in fast "flash" kinetics that diminished in seconds to minutes, and intraperitoneal administration resulted in slow rising activity that sustained hours. Mice showed no consistent impact of 1 week of intraperitoneal CTZ administration on weight, drinking, motor behavior, or sleep/wake cycles. Conclusions BL-OG/LMO provides unique advantages for testing the role of ChP dynamics in biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Klein
- Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Sophie Marsh
- Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Jordan Becker
- Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
| | - Mark Andermann
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Maria Lehtinen
- Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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3
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Lambert GG, Crespo EL, Murphy J, Boassa D, Luong S, Celinskis D, Venn S, Hu J, Sprecher B, Tree MO, Orcutt R, Heydari D, Bell AB, Torreblanca-Zanca A, Hakimi A, Lipscombe D, Moore CI, Hochgeschwender U, Shaner NC. CaBLAM! A high-contrast bioluminescent Ca 2+ indicator derived from an engineered Oplophorus gracilirostris luciferase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.25.546478. [PMID: 37425712 PMCID: PMC10327125 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.25.546478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Ca2+ plays many critical roles in cell physiology and biochemistry, leading researchers to develop a number of fluorescent small molecule dyes and genetically encodable probes that optically report changes in Ca2+ concentrations in living cells. Though such fluorescence-based genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs) have become a mainstay of modern Ca2+ sensing and imaging, bioluminescence-based GECIs-probes that generate light through oxidation of a small-molecule by a luciferase or photoprotein-have several distinct advantages over their fluorescent counterparts. Bioluminescent tags do not photobleach, do not suffer from nonspecific autofluorescent background, and do not lead to phototoxicity since they do not require the extremely bright extrinsic excitation light typically required for fluorescence imaging, especially with 2-photon microscopy. Current BL GECIs perform poorly relative to fluorescent GECIs, producing small changes in bioluminescence intensity due to high baseline signal at resting Ca2+ concentrations and suboptimal Ca2+ affinities. Here, we describe the development of a new bioluminescent GECI, "CaBLAM," which displays a much higher contrast (dynamic range) than previously described bioluminescent GECIs coupled with a Ca2+ affinity suitable for capturing physiological changes in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Derived from a new variant of Oplophorus gracilirostris luciferase with superior in vitro properties and a highly favorable scaffold for insertion of sensor domains, CaBLAM allows for single-cell and subcellular resolution imaging of Ca2+ dynamics at high frame rates in cultured neurons. CaBLAM marks a significant milestone in the GECI timeline, enabling Ca2+ recordings with high spatial and temporal resolution without perturbing cells with intense excitation light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard G. Lambert
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | | | - Jeremy Murphy
- Carney Institute for Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Daniela Boassa
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Selena Luong
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Dmitrijs Celinskis
- Carney Institute for Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Stephanie Venn
- College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI USA
| | - Junru Hu
- National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Brittany Sprecher
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Maya O. Tree
- College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI USA
| | - Richard Orcutt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Daniel Heydari
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Aidan B. Bell
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | | | | | - Diane Lipscombe
- College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI USA
| | - Christopher I. Moore
- Carney Institute for Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | | | - Nathan C. Shaner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
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4
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Porta-de-la-Riva M, Gonzalez AC, Sanfeliu-Cerdán N, Karimi S, Malaiwong N, Pidde A, Morales-Curiel LF, Fernandez P, González-Bolívar S, Hurth C, Krieg M. Neural engineering with photons as synaptic transmitters. Nat Methods 2023; 20:761-769. [PMID: 37024651 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01836-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal computation is achieved through connections of individual neurons into a larger network. To expand the repertoire of endogenous cellular communication, we developed a synthetic, photon-assisted synaptic transmission (PhAST) system. PhAST is based on luciferases and channelrhodopsins that enable the transmission of a neuronal state across space, using photons as neurotransmitters. PhAST overcomes synaptic barriers and rescues the behavioral deficit of a glutamate mutant with conditional, calcium-triggered photon emission between two neurons of the Caenorhabditis elegans nociceptive avoidance circuit. To demonstrate versatility and flexibility, we generated de novo synaptic transmission between two unconnected cells in a sexually dimorphic neuronal circuit, suppressed endogenous nocifensive response through activation of an anion channelrhodopsin and switched attractive to aversive behavior in an olfactory circuit. Finally, we applied PhAST to dissect the calcium dynamics of the temporal pattern generator in a motor circuit for ovipositioning. In summary, we established photon-based synaptic transmission that facilitates the modification of animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shadi Karimi
- Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Cedric Hurth
- Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, Spain
| | - Michael Krieg
- Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels, Spain.
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5
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Jiang T, Song J, Zhang Y. Coelenterazine-Type Bioluminescence-Induced Optical Probes for Sensing and Controlling Biological Processes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065074. [PMID: 36982148 PMCID: PMC10049153 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence-based probes have long been used to quantify and visualize biological processes in vitro and in vivo. Over the past years, we have witnessed the trend of bioluminescence-driven optogenetic systems. Typically, bioluminescence emitted from coelenterazine-type luciferin–luciferase reactions activate light-sensitive proteins, which induce downstream events. The development of coelenterazine-type bioluminescence-induced photosensory domain-based probes has been applied in the imaging, sensing, and control of cellular activities, signaling pathways, and synthetic genetic circuits in vitro and in vivo. This strategy can not only shed light on the mechanisms of diseases, but also promote interrelated therapy development. Here, this review provides an overview of these optical probes for sensing and controlling biological processes, highlights their applications and optimizations, and discusses the possible future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Jiang
- Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University–Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shandong University, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Correspondence: (T.J.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jingwen Song
- Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University–Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Youming Zhang
- Helmholtz International Lab for Anti-Infectives, Shandong University–Helmholtz Institute of Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Correspondence: (T.J.); (Y.Z.)
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6
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Mazraeh D, Di Ventura B. Synthetic microbiology applications powered by light. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 68:102158. [PMID: 35660240 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic biology is a field of research in which molecular parts (mostly nucleic acids and proteins) are de novo created or modified and then used either alone or in combination to achieve new functions that can help solve the problems of our modern society. In synthetic microbiology, microbes are employed rather than other organisms or cell-free systems. Optogenetics, a relatively recently established technology that relies on the use of genetically encoded photosensitive proteins to control biological processes with high spatiotemporal precision, offers the possibility to empower synthetic (micro)biology applications due to the many positive features that light has as an external trigger. In this review, we describe recent synthetic microbiology applications that made use of optogenetics after briefly introducing the molecular mechanism behind some of the most employed optogenetic tools. We highlight the power and versatility of this technique, which opens up new horizons for both research and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mazraeh
- Signaling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, and Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Barbara Di Ventura
- Signaling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, and Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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7
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Synthetic cells with self-activating optogenetic proteins communicate with natural cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2328. [PMID: 35484097 PMCID: PMC9050678 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29871-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of regulated cellular processes and signaling methods in synthetic cells is essential for their integration with living materials. Light is an attractive tool to achieve this, but the limited penetration depth into tissue of visible light restricts its usability for in-vivo applications. Here, we describe the design and implementation of bioluminescent intercellular and intracellular signaling mechanisms in synthetic cells, dismissing the need for an external light source. First, we engineer light generating SCs with an optimized lipid membrane and internal composition, to maximize luciferase expression levels and enable high-intensity emission. Next, we show these cells’ capacity to trigger bioprocesses in natural cells by initiating asexual sporulation of dark-grown mycelial cells of the fungus Trichoderma atroviride. Finally, we demonstrate regulated transcription and membrane recruitment in synthetic cells using bioluminescent intracellular signaling with self-activating fusion proteins. These functionalities pave the way for deploying synthetic cells as embeddable microscale light sources that are capable of controlling engineered processes inside tissues. Synthetic biology and engineering approaches are harnessed to incorporate new capabilities in synthetic cells. Here, the authors designed bioluminescent signaling mechanisms for intracellular and intercellular synthetic-to-natural cell communication.
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8
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Quan Z, Mao L, Tang YQ, Lei M, Zhu BZ, Liu YJ. Mechanistic Investigation of H 2 O 2 -dependent Chemiluminescence from Tetrabromo-1,4-Benzoquinone. Chemphyschem 2022; 23:e202100885. [PMID: 35106876 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100885] [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: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
As a H2 O2 -dependent bioluminescent substrate, tetrabromo-1,4-benzoquinone (TBBQ) was first isolated from acorn worm. The mechanism of chemiluminescence (CL) corresponding to the bioluminescence (BL) of acorn worm is largely unknown, let alone the mechanism of BL. In this article, we firstly studied the chemical and physical processes, and mechanism of H2 O2 -dependent CL from TBBQ by theoretical and experimental methods. The research results indicate: the CL process is initiated by a nucleophilic substitution reaction, which leads to the formation of an anionic dioxetane through five consecutive reactions; the anionic dioxetane decomposes to the first singlet excited state (S1 ) via a conical interaction of the potential energy surfaces (PESs) between the ground (S0 ) and S1 state; the anionic S1 -state changes to its neutral form by a proton transfer from the solvent and this neutral product is assigned as the actual luminophore. Moreover, the experimental detection of CL, . OH and the identifications of 2,3-dibromo maleic acid and 2-bromo malonic acid as the major final products provide direct evidence of the theoretically suggested mechanism. Finally, this study proves that the activity of the H2 O2 -dependent CL from TBBQ is significantly lower than the one from tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone (TCBQ), which is caused by the weaker electron withdrawing effect and the stronger heavy atomic effect of bromine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Quan
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P.R. China
| | - Li Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi-Qi Tang
- Center for Advanced Materials Research, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai, 519087, P.R. China
| | - Ming Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Institute of Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, P.R. China
| | - Ben-Zhan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P.R. China.,Center for Advanced Materials Research, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai, 519087, P.R. China
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9
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Pacheco CC, Pinto F. Design and Validation of Tools for Microbial Synthetic Biology Applications. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080739. [PMID: 34440483 PMCID: PMC8401242 DOI: 10.3390/life11080739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Catarina C. Pacheco
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: (C.C.P.); (F.P.)
| | - Filipe Pinto
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
- Correspondence: (C.C.P.); (F.P.)
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Intracellular Ionic Strength Sensing Using NanoLuc. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020677. [PMID: 33445497 PMCID: PMC7826950 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular ionic strength regulates myriad cellular processes that are fundamental to cellular survival and proliferation, including protein activity, aggregation, phase separation, and cell volume. It could be altered by changes in the activity of cellular signaling pathways, such as those that impact the activity of membrane-localized ion channels or by alterations in the microenvironmental osmolarity. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of sensitive tools for real-time monitoring of intracellular ionic strength. Here, we developed a bioluminescence-based intracellular ionic strength sensing strategy using the Nano Luciferase (NanoLuc) protein that has gained tremendous utility due to its high, long-lived bioluminescence output and thermal stability. Biochemical experiments using a recombinantly purified protein showed that NanoLuc bioluminescence is dependent on the ionic strength of the reaction buffer for a wide range of ionic strength conditions. Importantly, the decrease in the NanoLuc activity observed at higher ionic strengths could be reversed by decreasing the ionic strength of the reaction, thus making it suitable for sensing intracellular ionic strength alterations. Finally, we used an mNeonGreen–NanoLuc fusion protein to successfully monitor ionic strength alterations in a ratiometric manner through independent fluorescence and bioluminescence measurements in cell lysates and live cells. We envisage that the biosensing strategy developed here for detecting alterations in intracellular ionic strength will be applicable in a wide range of experiments, including high throughput cellular signaling, ion channel functional genomics, and drug discovery.
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