Photoswitchable diacylglycerols enable optical control of protein kinase C.

Increased levels of the second messenger lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) induce downstream signaling events including the translocation of C1-domain-containing proteins toward the plasma membrane. Here, we introduce three light-sensitive DAGs, termed PhoDAGs, which feature a photoswitchable acyl chain. The PhoDAGs are inactive in the dark and promote the translocation of proteins that feature C1 domains toward the plasma membrane upon a flash of UV-A light. This effect is quickly reversed after the termination of photostimulation or by irradiation with blue light, permitting the generation of oscillation patterns. Both protein kinase C and Munc13 can thus be put under optical control. PhoDAGs control vesicle release in excitable cells, such as mouse pancreatic islets and hippocampal neurons, and modulate synaptic transmission in Caenorhabditis elegans. As such, the PhoDAGs afford an unprecedented degree of spatiotemporal control and are broadly applicable tools to study DAG signaling

Fluorescent ratiometric MFC probe sensitive to early stages of α-Synuclein aggregation

We introduce a sensor molecule, AS140-MFC, consisting of a covalent adduct of an Ala-to-Cys mutant of α-synuclein with the 3-hydroxychromone dual emission dye MFC. We show that the AS140-MFC construct is a multiparametric fluorescent probe suitable for the continuous monitoring of protein aggregation and is sensitive to the early and intermediate stages of α-synuclein aggregation, a process associated with Parkinsons disease.Fil: Yushchenko, Dmytro A.. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; AlemaniaFil: Fauerbach, Jonathan Arturo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; ArgentinaFil: Thirunavukkuarasu, Shyamala. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; AlemaniaFil: Jares, Elizabeth Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; ArgentinaFil: Jovin, Thomas M.. Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; Alemani

Genetically targetable and color-switching fluorescent probe.

<p>Color bind: We have developed a probe TMR-para-MG that switches its fluorescence emission upon binding to a fluorogen-activating protein (FAP). In cells that express FAP, this dye labels target sites in one color and mitochondria in another color, thus it might be a suitable tool for monitoring changes in mitochondrial membrane potential.</p