Band-pass processing in a GPCR signaling pathway selects for NFAT transcription factor activation.

ABSTRACT: Many biological processes are rhythmic and proper timing is increasingly appreciated as being critical for development and maintenance of physiological functions. To understand how temporal modulation of an input signal influences downstream responses, we employ microfluidic pulsatile stimulation of a G-protein coupled receptor, the muscarinic M3 receptor, in single cells with simultaneous real-time imaging of both intracellular calcium and NFAT nuclear localization. Interestingly, we find that reduced stimulation with pulses of ligand can give more efficient transcription factor activation, if stimuli are timed appropriately. Our experiments and computational analyses show that M3 receptor-induced calcium oscillations form a low pass filter while calcium-induced NFAT translocation forms a

SUBMITTER: Sumit M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4630096 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature