光刺激で細胞形状を制御する生物物理学的モデル開発(Biophysics: shaping cells with light)

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2025-03-24 ミュンヘン大学(LMU)

ミュンヘン大学とMITの研究チームは、光刺激によって細胞の形を制御する新手法を開発しました。ヒトデの卵母細胞を用い、自己組織化タンパク質Rhoとその活性化因子GEFに光応答スイッチを組み込むことで、形状変化を精密に操作可能にしました。さらに、光刺激による細胞形状変化の理論モデルも構築。これらの成果は、合成生物学や生体模倣材料の開発への応用が期待されます。

<関連情報>

ヒトデの卵母細胞における光誘起皮質興奮性が明らかにしたプログラム可能な形状ダイナミクス Light-induced cortical excitability reveals programmable shape dynamics in starfish oocytes

Jinghui Liu,Tom Burkart,Alexander Ziepke,John Reinhard,Yu-Chen Chao,Tzer Han Tan,S. Zachary Swartz,Erwin Frey & Nikta Fakhri
Nature Physics  Published:24 March 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-02807-x

光刺激で細胞形状を制御する生物物理学的モデル開発(Biophysics: shaping cells with light)

Abstract

Chemo-mechanical waves play a key role in force generation and long-range signal transmission in cells that dynamically change shape, for example, during cell division or morphogenesis. Reconstituting and controlling such chemically controlled cell deformations is a crucial but unsolved challenge for the development of synthetic cells. Here we present an optogenetic method to investigate the mechanism responsible for coordinating surface contraction waves that occur in oocytes of the starfish Patiria miniata during meiotic cell division. Using optogenetic stimuli, we create chemo-mechanical cortical excitations that are decoupled from meiotic cues and drive various shape deformations, ranging from local pinching to surface contraction waves and breakdown of the cell. A quantitative model entailing both chemical and geometry dynamics allows us to predict and explain the variety of mechanical responses to optogenetic stimuli. Finally, we qualitatively map the observed shape dynamics to understand how the versatility of intracellular protein dynamics can give rise to a broad range of mechanical phenotypes. More broadly, our results suggest a route towards real-time control over dynamical deformations in living organisms and can advance the design of synthetic cells and life-like cellular functions.

生物工学一般
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