Genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors for monitoring metabolism in living brains
Heure: 11:00
Lieu: Auditorium de l’IBIS, pavillon Charles-Eugène Marchand, Université Laval
Quebec, Quebec
Une présentation de:
Yusuke Nasu
National Taiwan University
Genetically encoded calcium biosensors such as GCaMP have revolutionized our ability to visualize neuronal activity in living animals. In contrast, the metabolic processes that fuel neuronal function have remained far more difficult to monitor in real time. This technical limitation has hindered our understanding of how neuronal activity is coupled to energy metabolism in the intact brain.In this seminar, I will introduce a series of state-of-the-art genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors for metabolic imaging, developed through structure-guided protein engineering and directed evolution. A representative example is the LACCO family of biosensors for Llactate, a central metabolite in glycolysis and brain energy metabolism. These biosensors exhibit high sensitivity, excellent specificity, large dynamic range, and high brightness, enabling quantitative visualization of lactate dynamics with subcellular resolution in cultured cells and in vivo. By combining LACCO with GCaMP, we achieved simultaneous imaging of neuronal activity and lactate dynamics in awake mice, providing new insights into the spatiotemporal relationship between neural activity and metabolism. I will also present recently developed biosensors for key metabolites involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and ketone body metabolism. Together, these genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors provide a versatile platform for real-time metabolic imaging in living systems. Their integration with established neuroscience tools opens new opportunities to investigate how metabolic pathways support brain function in both physiological and pathological conditions.
