BLAST: A blue light-assisted secretion toolkit tunable by reversible protein-protein interactions

Abstract

Precise control over protein secretion is essential for programming intercellular communication and coordinating complex physiological responses. However, conventional methods relying on transcriptional regulation or chemical induction often lack the spatiotemporal precision and reversibility required to mimic endogenous signaling dynamics. Here, we present the Blue Light-Assisted Secretion Toolkit (BLAST), a genetically encoded system that orchestrates protein release from the endoplasmic reticulum via light-tunable protein-protein interactions. BLAST comprises two complementary modules utilizing both light-induced iLID/SspB association (a-BLAST) and LOV2/Zdk1 dissociation (d-BLAST). Both modules harness the highly conserved RXR motif to enforce strict ER confinement in the dark state. Most importantly, by utilizing non-destructive steric masking rather than enzymatic cleavage, BLAST achieves unprecedented temporal resolution with strict reversibility. We demonstrate that both systems can be repeatedly toggled ON and OFF, instantaneously arresting cargo release upon light withdrawal to generate highly controlled, pulsatile secretion profiles. Leveraging this dynamic control, we successfully achieved the rapid, robust, and light-triggered secretion of complex therapeutic proteins, including insulin and interleukin-12. By bypassing transcriptional delays and irreversible activation steps, BLAST provides a generalized, plug-and-play platform for the on-demand delivery of therapeutic proteins, significantly expanding the optogenetic toolbox for synthetic biology and cell-based therapies.