video: Designated areas (white circles) were irradiated with blue light at specific frequencies (indicated in the top left of each panel) to examine chemotactic aggregation.
Credit: Dr. Tetsuya Muramoto
A research team led by Dr. Tetsuya Muramoto from the Faculty of Science at Toho University has demonstrated the mechanisms by which periodic chemical signal frequencies in cells regulate gene expression via transcription factors and influence the cell fate determination processes. This groundbreaking revelation was made using optogenetic technology, which facilitates the manipulation of biological phenomena using light. Their findings were recently published in the Development journal on January 14, 2025.
Key Points:
- The study revealed the mechanisms by which periodic intracellular cAMP signal frequencies regulate transcription factor shuttling between the nucleus and cytoplasm and multicellular structure formation.
- The researchers successfully detected and monitored cAMP using optogenetic technology combined with biosensors, which facilitated the precise real-time analysis of cellular responses.
- The study findings highlight the significance of frequency-selective cellular responses in developmental biology, providing valuable insights into the intercellular signal transduction mechanisms.
Journal:
Development (January 14, 2025)
Article Title:
Optogenetic Control of cAMP Oscillations Reveals Frequency-Selective Transcription Factor Dynamics in Dictyostelium
Authors:
Kensuke Yamashita, Kazuya Shimane, Tetsuya Muramoto*
DOI:
10.1242/dev.204403
Journal
Development
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Cells
Article Title
Optogenetic control of cAMP oscillations reveals frequency-selective transcription factor dynamics in Dictyostelium
Article Publication Date
14-Jan-2025
COI Statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with the article.