TY - JOUR
T1 - Neurotoxin-Derived Optical Probes for Elucidating Molecular and Developmental Biology of Neurons and Synaptic Connections
T2 - Toxin-Derived Optical Probes for Neuroimaging
AU - Bijjam, Rohini
AU - Shorter, Susan
AU - Bratt, Alison M.
AU - O’Leary, Valerie B.
AU - Ntziachristos, Vasilis
AU - Ovsepian, Saak Victor
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Crown 2024.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and tetanus toxin (TeTX) are the deadliest biological substances that cause botulism and tetanus, respectively. Their astonishing potency and capacity to enter neurons and interfere with neurotransmitter release at presynaptic terminals have attracted much interest in experimental neurobiology and clinical research. Fused with reporter proteins or labelled with fluorophores, BoNTs and TeTX and their non-toxic fragments also offer remarkable opportunities to visualize cellular processes and functions in neurons and synaptic connections. This study presents the state-of-the-art optical probes derived from BoNTs and TeTX and discusses their applications in molecular and synaptic biology and neurodevelopmental research. It reviews the principles of the design and production of probes, revisits their applications with advantages and limitations and considers prospects for future improvements. The versatile characteristics of discussed probes and reporters make them an integral part of the expanding toolkit for molecular neuroimaging, promoting the discovery process in neurobiology and translational neurosciences.
AB - Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and tetanus toxin (TeTX) are the deadliest biological substances that cause botulism and tetanus, respectively. Their astonishing potency and capacity to enter neurons and interfere with neurotransmitter release at presynaptic terminals have attracted much interest in experimental neurobiology and clinical research. Fused with reporter proteins or labelled with fluorophores, BoNTs and TeTX and their non-toxic fragments also offer remarkable opportunities to visualize cellular processes and functions in neurons and synaptic connections. This study presents the state-of-the-art optical probes derived from BoNTs and TeTX and discusses their applications in molecular and synaptic biology and neurodevelopmental research. It reviews the principles of the design and production of probes, revisits their applications with advantages and limitations and considers prospects for future improvements. The versatile characteristics of discussed probes and reporters make them an integral part of the expanding toolkit for molecular neuroimaging, promoting the discovery process in neurobiology and translational neurosciences.
KW - Advanced biomaterials
KW - Fluorescent probes
KW - Fusion proteins
KW - Molecular trafficking
KW - Optical imaging
KW - Retrograde transport
KW - SNARE proteins
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205322327&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11307-024-01954-6
DO - 10.1007/s11307-024-01954-6
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85205322327
SN - 1536-1632
VL - 26
SP - 912
EP - 925
JO - Molecular Imaging and Biology
JF - Molecular Imaging and Biology
IS - 6
ER -