Thermogenetic control of Ca2+ levels in cells and tissues

Ermakova, Y. G.; Waadt, R.; Ozturk, M. S.; Roshchin, M.; Lanin, A. A.; Chebotarev, A.; Pochechuev, M.; Pak, V.; Kelmanson, I.; Smolyarovasmol, D.; Keutler, K.; Matyushenko, A. M.; Tischer, C. V.; Balaban, P. M.; Nikitin, E. S.; Schumacher, K.; Zheltikov, A.; Prevedel, R.; Schultz, C.; Belousov, V. V.

doi:10.1101/2023.03.22.533774

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.03.22.533774

Thermogenetic control of Ca2+ levels in cells and tissues

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Abstract

Virtually all major processes in cells and tissues are regulated by calcium ions (Ca2+). Understanding the influence of Ca2+ on cell function requires technologies that allow for non-invasive manipulation of intracellular calcium levels including the formation of calcium patterns, ideally in a way that is expandable to intact organisms. The currently existing tools for optical and optogenetic Ca2+ manipulation are limited with respect to response time, and tissue penetration depth. Here we present Genetically Encoded Calcium Controller (GECCO), a system for thermogenetic Ca2+ manipulation based on snake TRP channels optically controlled by infrared illumination. GECCO is functional in animal and plant cells and allows studying how cells decode different profiles of Ca2+ signals. GECCO enabled the shaping of insulin release from {beta}-cells, the identification of drugs that potentiate Ca2+-induced insulin release, and the generation of synthetic Ca2+ signatures in plants.

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Ermakova, Y. G., Waadt, R., Ozturk, M. S., Roshchin, M., Lanin, A. A., Chebotarev, A., Pochechuev, M., Pak, V., Kelmanson, I., Smolyarovasmol, D., Keutler, K., Matyushenko, A. M., Tischer, C. V., Balaban, P. M., Nikitin, E. S., Schumacher, K., Zheltikov, A., Prevedel, R., Schultz, C., Belousov, V. V.. 2023-03-22. Thermogenetic control of Ca2+ levels in cells and tissues. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.22.533774

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