Sakuragi, S. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2025

Oligo DNA-based quantum dot (QD) single-particle tracking for multicolor single-molecule imaging

Quantum dot single-particle tracking (QD-SPT), a powerful tool for analyzing membrane domains that are critical to various cellular processes, is widely used in membrane molecular dynamics research. QDs, which possess both a broad excitation range and a narrow emission bandwidth, are inherently suited for multicolor imaging at various wavelengths. However, applying multicolor QD-SPT with multiple biomolecular targets has been challenging due to the limited methods for specifically conjugating QDs to biomolecules. Here, we propose a DNA hybridization-based QD labeling method that generates several specific interactions based on sequence. QD fused with 20-mer oligo DNA specifically labeled membrane lipid 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) covalently bound to complementary oligo DNA, forming a stable label that is suitable for SPT. The combination of polyA-polyT sequence as the linker oligo caused more QDs to fuse to DPPE compared with a random sequence linker. Oligo DNA-based QD-SPT accurately reflected the diffusion dynamics of DPPE measured using the single-fluorescence tracking technique and was compatible with conventional QD-SPT utilizing secondary antibody Fab. Using different pairs of oligo DNA sequences, we successfully achieved multicolor QD-SPT that distinguishes the lateral diffusion of DPPE and a membrane protein, GABAA receptor (GABAAR), within the same cell. The oligo DNA-based QD labeling method developed in this study is anticipated to substantially advance simultaneous multicolor QD-SPT of different living cell membrane molecules specific to DNA sequences.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2024

Induction of the aggresome and insoluble tau aggregation using an optogenetic tool

Tauopathy is a spectrum of diseases characterized by fibrillary tau aggregate formation in neurons and glial cells in the brain. Tau aggregation originates in the brainstem and entorhinal cortex and then spreads throughout the brain in Alzheimers disease (AD), which is the most prevalent type of tauopathy. Understanding the mechanism by which locally developed tau pathology propagates throughout the brain is crucial for comprehending AD pathogenesis. Therefore, a novel model of tau pathology that artificially induces tau aggregation in targeted cells at specific times is essential. This study describes a novel optogenetic module, OptoTau, which is a human tau with the P301L mutation fused with a photosensitive protein CRY2olig, inducing various forms of tau according to the temporal pattern of blue light illumination pattern. Continuous blue light illumination for 12 h to Neuro2a cells that stably express OptoTau (OptoTauKI cells) formed clusters along microtubules, many of which eventually accumulated in aggresomes. Conversely, methanol-resistant tau aggregation was formed when alternating light exposure and darkness in 30-min cycles for 8 sets per day were repeated over 8 days. Methanol-resistant tau was induced more rapidly by repeating 5-min illumination followed by 25-min darkness over 24 h. These results indicate that OptoTau induced various tau aggregation stages based on the temporal pattern of blue light exposure. Thus, this technique exhibits potential as a novel approach to developing specific tau aggregation in targeted cells at desired time points. SignificanceThis study developed an approach to manipulate tau aggregation in a blue light-dependent manner using cells that stably express OptoTau, which is an optogenetic tool based on the CRY2olig module. Tau accumulation in aggresomes or stable tau aggregation were selectively induced by blue light illumination conditions. These results are crucial as they provide a new technological basis for establishing a singular point of tau aggregation in specific targeted cells at a particular time.

biophysics↗