Perspectives for using genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors in plants

Anja T Fuglsang,Alexander Schulz,Sisse K Gjetting

doi:10.3389/fpls.2013.00234

Abstract

Genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors have long proven to be excellent tools for quantitative live imaging, but sensor applications in plants have been lacking behind those in mammalian systems with respect to the variety of sensors and tissue types used. How can this be improved, and what can be expected for the use of genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors in plants in the future? In this review, we present a table of successful physiological experiments in plant tissue using fluorescent biosensors, and draw some conclusions about the specific challenges plant cell biologists are faced with and some of the ways they have been overcome so far.

Highlights

Encoded fluorescent biosensors are increasingly used as the preferred method to visualize and analyse ion fluxes, signaling components, and metabolites, covering an expanding palette of cellular processes
While fluorescent proteins as such are mainly used for localization and expression studies, genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors in addition allow real time studies of cell metabolism with a similar high spatial and temporal resolution
(2) FRETbased sensors, where ligand binding causes a conformational change of the sensor leading to a change in FRET ratio between two fluorescent proteins, usually CFP/YFP variants

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Encoded fluorescent biosensors are increasingly used as the preferred method to visualize and analyse ion fluxes, signaling components, and metabolites, covering an expanding palette of cellular processes. (2) FRETbased sensors, where ligand binding causes a conformational change of the sensor leading to a change in FRET ratio between two fluorescent proteins, usually CFP/YFP variants. Within these groups many sensor platform designs are possible, which are described in detail elsewhere, see e.g., (Okumoto et al, 2012). The variety of genetically encoded fluorescent sensors is explored primarily in mammalian systems These sensors offer highly attractive advantages for plant cell imaging, reports on physiological measurements in plants have been comparatively few, which might indicate that using these tools for live physiological experiments in plants is not trivial. Several important insights into plant cell biology have been gained from www.frontiersin.org

REDOX SENSORS

PPIs dynamics

IMPROVEMENT OF SENSOR APPLICATIONS IN PLANTS

Regulation of RalA GTPase by phosphatidylinositol