Enhancing prestin oligomerization for superior sonogenetics.

ABSTRACT: Background: Sonogenetics enables non-invasive control of cellular activity using ultrasound (US)-responsive proteins. Prestin, a motor protein from outer hair cells, can render cells responsive to US when ectopically expressed, offering potential therapeutic applications for neurodegenerative diseases and epilepsy. However, current prestin variants exhibit suboptimal oligomerization, reducing their efficacy in neuromodulation. This study aimed to enhance prestin sonogenetic performance by improving oligomerization. Methods: We screened four echolocating bat prestin orthologs and point mutants of mouse prestin variants for enhanced US responsiveness. Subcellular distribution and oligomerization of prestin variants were evaluated using live-cell imaging and Förster resonance en

SUBMITTER: Wang HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846731 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature