PUBLICATION

A Single-Component Optogenetic Gal4-UAS System Allows Stringent Control of Gene Expression in Zebrafish and Drosophila

Authors
Qian, Y., Li, T., Zhou, S., Chen, X., Yang, Y.
ID
ZDB-PUB-230310-32
Date
2023
Source
ACS synthetic biology   12(3): 664-671 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Li, Ting
Keywords
Gal4-UAS, gene expression, optogenetics, single-component
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified/genetics
  • Drosophila/genetics
  • Drosophila/metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins*/genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Optogenetics
  • Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Transcription Factors/metabolism
  • Zebrafish*/genetics
PubMed
36891673 Full text @ ACS Synth Biol
Abstract
The light-regulated Gal4-UAS system has offered new ways to control cellular activities with precise spatial and temporal resolution in zebrafish and Drosophila. However, the existing optogenetic Gal4-UAS systems suffer from having multiple protein components and a dependence on extraneous light-sensitive cofactors, which increase the technical complexity and limit the portability of these systems. To overcome these limitations, we herein describe the development of a novel optogenetic Gal4-UAS system (ltLightOn) for both zebrafish and Drosophila based on a single light-switchable transactivator, termed GAVPOLT, which dimerizes and binds to gene promoters to activate transgene expression upon blue light illumination. The ltLightOn system is independent of exogenous cofactors and exhibits a more than 2400-fold ON/OFF gene expression ratio, allowing quantitative, spatial, and temporal control of gene expression. We further demonstrate the usefulness of the ltLightOn system in regulating zebrafish embryonic development by controlling the expression of lefty1 by light. We believe that this single-component optogenetic system will be immensely useful in understanding the gene function and behavioral circuits in zebrafish and Drosophila.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping