Cell biology: Organelles under light control.

Abstract

Optogenetic techniques enable light-activated control of protein–protein interactions in the cell. This approach has now been used to alter membrane dynamics and induce cellular reorganization. See Letter p.111 How does the position of organelles within a cell influence cellular functions? In the absence of strategies to control intracellular organelle positioning with spatiotemporal precision, it has been difficult to answer this question. Lukas Kapitein and colleagues have developed an optogenetic strategy, based on light-mediated recruitment of distinct cytoskeletal motor proteins to their specific cargo organelles that allows such cellular manipulations. Using the new technique it is possible to rapidly and reversibly activate or inhibit the transport of specific organelles and demonstrate local modulation of organelle distributions — including peroxisomes, recycling endosomes and mitochondria — with high spatiotemporal accuracy. The authors demonstrate local modulation of organelle distributions for peroxisomes, recycling endosomes and mitochondria. They also applied this approach in primary neurons to establish optical control of axon outgrowth.