GFP Is a Selective Non-Linear Optical Sensor of Electrophysiological Processes in Caenorhabditis elegans

Electrophysiology of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has the potential to bridge the wealth of information on the molecular biology and anatomy of this organism with the responses of selected cells and cellular neural networks associated with a behavioral response. In this paper we report that t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biophysical journal 2000-11, Vol.79 (5), p.2345-2352
Main Authors: Khatchatouriants, Artium, Lewis, Aaron, Rothman, Zvi, Loew, Leslie, Treinin, Millet
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Biophysical Phenomena
Biophysics
Biosensing Techniques
Caenorhabditis elegans - cytology
Caenorhabditis elegans - genetics
Caenorhabditis elegans - physiology
Cellular biology
Chimera
Electrophysiology
Green Fluorescent Proteins
Luminescent Proteins - genetics
Luminescent Proteins - metabolism
Mechanoreceptors - physiology
Membrane Potentials
Membranes
Molecular biology
Neurons - physiology
Proteins
Recombinant Proteins - genetics
Recombinant Proteins - metabolism
Sensors
Worms
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Summary:Electrophysiology of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has the potential to bridge the wealth of information on the molecular biology and anatomy of this organism with the responses of selected cells and cellular neural networks associated with a behavioral response. In this paper we report that the nonlinear optical phenomenon of second harmonic generation (SHG) can be detected using green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeras expressed in selected cells of living animals. Alterations in the SHG signal as a result of receptor ligand interactions and mechanical stimulation of the mechanosensory cells indicate that this signal is very sensitive to membrane potential. The results suggest that this approach to membrane potential measurements in C. elegans and in other biological systems could effectively couple data on selective locations within specific cells with functional responses that are associated with behavioral and sensory processes.
ISSN:0006-3495
1542-0086
DOI:10.1016/S0006-3495(00)76480-0