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Optogenetics pp 225–234Cite as

Visualization and Manipulation of Intracellular Signaling

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1293))

Abstract

Cells respond to a wide range of extracellular stimuli, and process the input information through an intracellular signaling system comprised of biochemical and biophysical reactions, including enzymatic and protein–protein interactions. It is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying intracellular signal transduction in order to clarify not only physiological cellular functions but also pathological processes such as tumorigenesis. Fluorescent proteins have revolutionized the field of life science, and brought the study of intracellular signaling to the single-cell and subcellular levels. Much effort has been devoted to developing genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors based on fluorescent proteins, which enable us to visualize the spatiotemporal dynamics of cell signaling. In addition, optogenetic techniques for controlling intracellular signal transduction systems have been developed and applied in recent years by regulating intracellular signaling in a light-dependent manner. Here, we outline the principles of biosensors for probing intracellular signaling and the optogenetic tools for manipulating them.

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Abbreviations

bNLS:

Bipartite nuclear localization sequence

BVRA:

Biliverdin reductase A

cpFP:

Circularly permutated FP

CRY2:

Cryptochrome 2

EGF:

Epidermal growth factor

FAD:

Flavin adenine dinucleotide

FMN:

Flavin mononucleotide

FP:

Fluorescent protein

FRET:

Förster (or fluorescence) resonance energy transfer

iRFP:

Infra-red FP

KTR:

Kinase translocation reporter

LOV:

Light-oxygen-voltage sensing

NES:

Nuclear export signal

PCB:

Phycocyanobilin

PhyB:

Phytochrome B

PΦB:

Phytochromobilin

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Acknowledgments

We thank all members of the Aoki Laboratories for helpful discussions and assistance. This work was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grants (no.19K16050) (to Y.G.); JSPS KAKENHI Grants (no. 19K16207 and no. 19H05675) (to Y.K.); Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JPMJCR1654), JSPS KAKENHI Grants (no. 16KT0069, 16H01425 “Resonance Bio,” 18H04754 “Resonance Bio,” 18H02444, and 19H05798), and ONO Medical Research Foundation (to K.A.).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan

    Yuhei Goto, Yohei Kondo & Kazuhiro Aoki

  2. Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan

    Yuhei Goto, Yohei Kondo & Kazuhiro Aoki

  3. Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi, Japan

    Yuhei Goto, Yohei Kondo & Kazuhiro Aoki

Authors
  1. Yuhei Goto
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  2. Yohei Kondo
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  3. Kazuhiro Aoki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuhiro Aoki .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan

    Hiromu Yawo

  2. OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan

    Hideki Kandori

  3. National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Tokyo, Japan

    Amane Koizumi

  4. Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Ryoichiro Kageyama

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Goto, Y., Kondo, Y., Aoki, K. (2021). Visualization and Manipulation of Intracellular Signaling. In: Yawo, H., Kandori, H., Koizumi, A., Kageyama, R. (eds) Optogenetics. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1293. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8763-4_13

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