Optogenetic dissection of RET signaling reveals robust activation of ERK and enhanced filopodia-like protrusions of regenerating axons.

RET (REarranged during Transfection) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that transduces various external stimuli into biological functions, such as survival and differentiation, in neurons. In the current study, we developed an optogenetic tool for modulating RET signaling, termed optoRET, combining the cytosolic region of human RET with a blue-light-inducible homo-oligomerizing protein. By varying the duration of photoactivation, we were able to dynamically modulate RET signaling.

Optogenetic Control of Membrane Trafficking Using Light-Activated Reversible Inhibition by Assembly Trap of Intracellular Membranes (IM-LARIAT).

Intracellular membrane trafficking is a dynamic and complex cellular process. To study membrane trafficking with a high spatiotemporal resolution, we present an optogenetic method based on a blue-light inducible oligomerization of Rab GTPases, termed light-activated reversible inhibition by assembly trap of intracellular membranes (IM-LARIAT). In this chapter, we focus on the optical disruption of the dynamics and functions of previously studied intracellular membrane trafficking events, including transferrin recycling and growth cone regulation in relation to specific Rab GTPases.