In fluorophore-assisted light inactivation (FALI), antibodies are used to target a fluorophore to a protein of interest, which, upon appropriate illumination, can then be used to specifically reduce the function of the target protein. Sato et al. used FALI to screen a pool of antibodies to find proteins that influenced development of olfactory neurons in mice and identified LOTUS (lateral olfactory tract usher substance). Another screen for proteins that could interact with LOTUS identified Nogo receptor–1 (NgR1), which prevents regeneration of nerves in adult mammals. During development, LOTUS appears to keep other ligands from activating NgR1, which might otherwise prevent proper migration of axons.
Y. Sato, M. Iketani, Y. Kurihara, M. Yamaguchi, N. Yamashita, F. Nakamura, Y. Arie, T. Kawasaki, T. Hirata, T. Abe, H. Kiyonari, S. M. Strittmatter, Y. Goshima, K. Takei, Cartilage acidic protein–1B (LOTUS), an endogenous Nogo receptor antagonist for axon tract formation. Science 333, 769–773 (2011). [Abstract] [Full Text]
