Due to the high 3D-complexity and extremely dynamic feature of cytoskeleton, new perturbation approaches are required to control and study cytoskeletal function in space and time, for example the use of light. Chemo-optogenetics (COG) is a panel of generally applicable light-controlled tools that use chemical molecules for opto-control of genetically modified cells. In this talk, three chemo-optogenetic tools including i) molecular activity painting (MAP) on the plasma membrane, ii) photoswitchable chemically induced dimerization (psCID), and iii) photoactivatable dual chemically induced dimerization (pdCID) will be presented. These tools allow single-layer, reversible, or multi-layer of activity control (MAC) of cellular function. The temporally precise control of cellular events can reach less than 100 milliseconds while the precise spatial control can be achieved within 1 micron. These chemo-optogenetic approaches have been used to spatiotemporally control actin-based cell motility, actomyosin contractility, dynein- or kinesin-mediated cellular transport along microtubules, and spindle assembly during cell division in order to understand the mechanisms underneath the relevant cellular events.

Chemo-optogenetic control of cytoskeleton function

2019 Fall National Meeting

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