Recent advances in spying on cell signaling with fluorescent biosensors

Abstract

Cells routinely orchestrate the activities of diverse biochemical pathways to sustain cellular function and proliferation, as exemplified by their ability to faithfully convert extracellular signals into specific intracellular responses. The dynamic nature of intracellular signaling calls for appropriate tools to capture these complex molecular events. Recent advances in genetically encoded biosensor engineering are revolutionizing our ability to dissect the molecular mechanisms regulating signaling activities with unprecedented resolution. Here, we present a timely update on novel biosensor designs and highlight recent applications where biosensor imaging yielded breakthrough insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of GPCR signaling and cell cycle regulation.