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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2025

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells

Published on: March 9, 2012

Split-Small GTPase Reassembly as a Method to Control Cellular Signaling with User-Defined Inputs.

Yuchen He¹, Benjamin M Faulkner¹, Emily Hyun¹

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology

|February 20, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a plug-and-play method using split-GTPases and chemical inducers of dimerization (CID) to control small GTPase signaling. This allows precise, temporal manipulation of cellular functions like migration and proliferation.

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Last Updated: May 27, 2025

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells

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Published on: March 9, 2012

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays

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Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Published on: November 11, 2018

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Cell Signaling
Biochemistry

Background:

Small GTPases regulate crucial cellular processes including migration and proliferation.
Current methods lack direct, temporal control over small GTPase activity, hindering research.
A plug-and-play system is needed for precise manipulation of GTPase signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a versatile, plug-and-play methodology for direct, temporal control of small GTPase activity.
To enable user-defined inputs for regulating specific cellular signaling pathways.
To overcome limitations in dissecting GTPase functions in living cells.

Main Methods:

Developed split-GTPase systems that can be reassembled using chemical inducers of dimerization (CIDs).
Paired split-GTPases with various CID systems for modular control.
Applied the system to study MAPK signaling, filopodia formation, and cell retraction.

Main Results:

Demonstrated a plug-and-play approach for direct temporal control of small GTPase signaling.
Showcased modularity by using different CID systems with minimal off-target effects.
Achieved consistent pathway activation for controlling MAPK signaling, filopodia, and cell retraction.

Conclusions:

Split-GTPase systems offer a customizable platform for precise temporal control of cellular signaling.
This method allows for user-defined regulation of GTPase activity with minimal pathway interference.
Provides a novel tool for investigating GTPase functions in diverse biological contexts.