Technology and Tools

We work on technologies which will allow us to better understand GPCR function. As a lab, we have often found ourselves agreeing with the quotation ascribed to Sydney Brenner: “Progress in science depends on new techniques, new discoveries and new ideas, probably in that order.” (1)

Our current toolkit includes chemical biology methods for GPCR-specific fluorescent cell tagging, proximity labeling, and reporters for GPCR expression and trafficking.

High Resolution Proximity Labeling. We adapted the APEX enzyme (developed by the Ting lab) to capture the dynamic changes to the local proteome of GPCRs within living cells. With this method you can study known proteins, and discover novel factors, which mediate and regulate GPCR signaling. For more information:

(1) Lobingier and Huttenhain et al., Cell, 2017

(2) GPCR interactions in space and time, Doerr, 2017

Biosensor for GPCR Downregulation. We showed that the APEX enzyme (developed by the Ting lab) can function as a fluorescence-based biosensor for agonist-induced GPCR down regulation. With this method you study how GPCRs are regulated through membrane trafficking from biosynthesis to proteolysis (i.e., “cradle to grave”). For more information :

(1) Novy et al., Nature Chemical Biology, 2024

Ligand-Directed Labeling. We collaborated with Seksiri Arttamangkul in the Williams lab for using ligand-directed labeling of opioid receptors (OR). This method allows for covalent modification of a endogenous ORs with a fluorophore and subsequent monitoring of receptor trafficking and downregulation. For more information:

(1) Adoff et al., STAR Protocols, 2023

(2) Arttamangkul et al., eLife, 2017

(1) His actual statement: “[…] how so much progress depends on the interplay of techniques, discoveries and new ideas, probably in that order of decreasing importance." Genome Biol. 2002; 3(9): comment1013.1–comment1013.2.