A fast, high-affinity fluorescent serotonin biosensor engineered from a tick lipocalin.

Zhang, Shen; Li, Xinyu; Zhao, Shengyu; Drobizhev, Mikhail; Ai, Hui-Wang · Nat Methods · 2021

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Serotonin (5-HT) is an important signaling monoamine and neurotransmitter. We report structure-guided engineering of a green fluorescent, genetically encoded serotonin sensor (G-GESS) from a 5-HT-binding lipocalin in the soft tick Argas monolakensis. G-GESS shows fast response kinetics and high affinity, specificity, brightness and photostability. We used G-GESS to image 5-HT dynamics in cultured cells, brain slices and behaving mice.

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