Optogenetic Control of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2018 Jun 11;57(24):7019-7022. doi: 10.1002/anie.201713080. Epub 2018 Apr 16.

Abstract

Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV ) channels mediate Ca2+ entry into excitable cells to regulate a myriad of cellular events following membrane depolarization. We report the engineering of RGK GTPases, a class of genetically encoded CaV channel modulators, to enable photo-tunable modulation of CaV channel activity in excitable mammalian cells. This optogenetic tool (designated optoRGK) tailored for CaV channels could find broad applications in interrogating a wide range of CaV -mediated physiological processes.

Keywords: calcium signaling; ion channels; optogenetics; protein engineering; synthetic biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calcium Channels / genetics
  • Calcium Channels / metabolism*
  • Calcium Signaling*
  • Cell Line
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / cytology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Optogenetics / methods*
  • Protein Engineering / methods

Substances

  • Calcium Channels
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Calcium