SpiCee: A Genetic Tool for Subcellular and Cell-Specific Calcium Manipulation

Abstract

Calcium is a second messenger crucial to a myriad of cellular processes ranging from regulation of metabolism and cell survival to vesicle release and motility. Current strategies to directly manipulate endogenous calcium signals lack cellular and subcellular specificity. We developed SpiCee, a versatile and genetically-encoded chelator combining low and high affinity sites for calcium. This scavenger enables altering endogenous calcium signaling and functions in single cells in vitro and in vivo with biochemically-controlled subcellular resolution. SpiCee paves the way to investigate local calcium signaling in vivo and directly manipulate this second messenger for therapeutic use.

Keywords: calcium buffer, subcellular compartment, single cell pharmacology, axon guidance, neuronal migration