title: Optogenetic Control of Gene Expression in Drosophila.
abstract: To study the molecular mechanism of complex biological systems, it is important to be able to artificially manipulate gene expression in desired target sites with high precision. Based on the light dependent binding of cryptochrome 2 and a cryptochrome interacting bHLH protein, we developed a split lexA transcriptional activation system for use in Drosophila that allows regulation of gene expression in vivo using blue light or two-photon excitation. We show that this system offers high spatiotemporal resolution by inducing gene expression in tissues at various developmental stages. In combination with two-photon excitation, gene expression can be manipulated at precise sites in embryos, potentially offering an important tool with which to examine developmental processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yick-Bun
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Olga V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Alekseyenko
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kravitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D056931:Cryptochromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000528:radiation effects; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D062308:Optogenetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000528:radiation effects; D019076:Transgenes / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: C000608146:CRY2 protein, Drosophila; D056931:Cryptochromes; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins