Scientists develop new sensor to capture calcium activity in cells


Date:
October 19, 2021
Source:
Georgia State University
Summary:
Researchers have developed a novel approach for detecting the
activity of calcium within cells. The study demonstrates the
effectiveness of a red biosensor that can directly monitor calcium
at specific locations within a cell, a discovery that could aid
in better understanding of the molecular basis of human diseases.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A team of researchers at Georgia State University has developed a novel approach for detecting the activity of calcium within cells. The study,
led by Regents' Professor of Chemistry Jenny Yang, demonstrates the effectiveness of a red biosensor that can directly monitor calcium at
specific locations within a cell, a discovery that could aid in better understanding of the molecular basis of human diseases.


========================================================================== Calcium is essential for many physiological processes, including the
health and function of the muscular, nervous, circulatory and digestive systems. Calcium amplifies signaling molecules that prompt a response
inside cells, controls the release of neurotransmitters (chemical
messengers that transmit signals from neurons), triggers the contraction
of muscle cells and aids in fertilization.

Calcium is also important for proper bone formation, and many processes
within cells require or use calcium.

Given this wide range of functions, calcium movement and levels can
serve as good indicators for biological mechanisms and changes. However, previous attempts at developing calcium sensor tools that can monitor
rapid signaling changes have proven limiting due to slow responses of
the sensors reported.

"The challenge is how to capture these quick changes in very specific locations," said Yang, who is also the associate director of the Center
for Diagnostics and Therapeutics and director of Advanced Translational
Imaging Facility. "For example, if I have an injury in my muscle,
there's a specific muscle cell calcium change and it happens very fast."
To better capture these signals, Yang and her colleagues have created
a way to design a calcium binding site onto the surface of several
fluorescent proteins.

The study, published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, shows that the
red calcium sensor, known as R-CatchER, is highly sensitive at detecting calcium signals in multiple cell types. The discovery is a breakthrough
by Yang and her team, who have spent decades developing and refining
their technique. They recently published a paper on the development of
a green calcium sensor, known as G-CatchER+, in the journal iScience.

"The protein we're using is able to identify fleeting changes and
directly measure calcium activity," said Yang. "We can monitor calcium
events in healthy cells and see how they change in disease states."
Ultimately R-CatchER could be useful for laboratory research and studies;
for example, determining whether there is a connection between changes
in calcium and a particular disease. Their technology could also aid in
drug discovery.

"We have a unique approach to understanding how aging events or disease
states are controlled by calcium. This tool could tell scientists exactly
which signal pathway is related to a disease and how it changes when
treated with a drug compound," Yang said. "It could show the specific
location that the drug needs to target to be effective." The researchers
say the next step is to apply the technology in animal models to help
better understand how various cell events are involved in disease.

Yang is known as a pioneer in the field she calls "calciomics," which incorporates protein chemistry, biology, cell biology and neuroscience
to develop computational studies and calcium sensor tools. In 2019, she
was selected as National Academy of Inventors Fellow in honor of her work.

Co-authors of the study include chemistry doctoral student Xiaonan Deng,
Donald Hamelberg, professor of chemistry, and Xinqiu Yao, postdoctoral associate in chemistry.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Georgia_State_University. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Xiaonan Deng, Xin‐Qiu Yao, Ken Berglund, Bin Dong, Daniel
Ouedraogo, Mohammad A. Ghane, You Zhuo, Cheyenne McBean, Zheng
Zachory Wei, Samer Gozem, Shan P. Yu, Ling Wei, Ning Fang, Angela
M. Mabb, Giovanni Gadda, Donald Hamelberg, Jenny J. Yang. Tuning
Protein Dynamics to Sense Rapid Endoplasmic‐Reticulum Calcium
Dynamics. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2021; 60 (43):
23289 DOI: 10.1002/ anie.202108443 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211019120130.htm

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