Blue light
is a new simple tool for controlling mammalian cell migration
- IBS Group
Leader Won Do Heo has become a prominent leader in the field of optogenetics
by achieving a series of world-class research outcomes. -
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A group of Korean
researchers have succeeded in developing a new technology to remotely control
“FGFR1 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 1)” intracellular signaling by
illumination with blue light. The research outcome was
published online, June 26th, in Chemistry
& Biology, which is the sister journal of Cell. In addition, it was selected to appear on the cover of the
journal’s July issue and also introduced in the preview section. The article
was recommended by the Faculty 1000 Biology. This research outcome is
a ground-breaking discovery because researchers have developed the new
technology to control cell migration and polarity by using light only, without
the assistance of any chemical treatment. Consequently, this newly-developed
technology is expected to have a significant impact on future research
regarding blood vessel development and cancer metastasis. Researchers have
announced that they can freely control FGFR1 signaling by applying different levels
of frequency, duration, intensity, etc. of light illumination. They engineered a new
type of receptor by attaching light-inducible proteins to FGFR1, and named this
new receptor “OptoFGFR1”. They have found that
they can control major biological phenomenon, such as cell polarity and
migration, by regulating FGFR1 signaling with light only and without the aid of
any chemical treatment. They have also discovered that this whole process can
be done simply by switching light on and off. Moreover, they have
verified that when continuously applying light illumination to a particular
area, they can induce directed cell migration towards the illuminated area.
This is similar to phototaxis, which is the directed movement of organisms in
response to a stimulus of light. Professor Won Do Heo has
been currently taking the lead in developing novel optogenetic tools and
related researches. He has published a series of papers in the world’s most
prominent science journals within the field of optogenetics, including publications
in Nature Methods, Nature Communications and Chemistry & Biology in June alone.
Notes for editors -
References
Nury Kim, Jin Man Kim, Minji Lee, Cha Yeon Kim, Ki-Young Chang, and Won Do Heo (2014). Spatiotemporal Control of Fibroblast Growth Factor
Receptor Signals by Blue Light. Chemistry & Biology 21(7): 903-912.
(http://www.cell.com/chemistry-biology/abstract/S1074-5521(14)00183-5) -
To
speak with Prof. Won Do Heo, please contact: Ms. Na Eun Lee, IBS Center for
Cognition and Sociality (+82-42-350-5642; nelee@ibs.re.kr) or Mr. Han Bin Oh, Overseas Public Relations
Officer, IBS Public Relations Team (+82-42-878-8182; ohanvin@ibs.re.kr) -
To
speak with Dr. Nury Kim, please contact directly to him (+82-42-350-5642; tesdar@ibs.re.kr) -
This
research was conducted by the Bio-imaging Research Group, led by Won Do Heo, a
group leader at the Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic
Science (IBS), as well as an associate professor at the Department of
Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
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Institute for Basic
Science (IBS) was founded in 2011 by the government of the Republic of Korea.
With the sole purpose of driving forward the development of basic science in
Korea, IBS will be comprised of a total of 50 research centers in all fields of
basic science, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, life science, earth
science and interdisciplinary science. IBS has launched 21 research centers as
of September 2014.
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