SurpHer: a genetically encoded ratiometric sensor for dynamic extracellular pH imaging

Abstract

Extracellular pH is a key microenvironmental factor shaping cell physiology and disease, creating a need for quantitative biosensors that can capture dynamic changes in pHe at the surface of individual living cells. Here, we develop a genetically encoded, ratiometric extracellular pH biosensor through systematic screening of a modular library of membrane-display designs that combine SEpHluorin with a pH-stable reference fluorophore. Screening identified a cell-surface-localised mKate2-SEpHluorin construct, named SurpHer, that exhibits dynamic ratiometric responses across the pHe range of 6 - 7.8. SurpHer shows robust membrane localisation and extracellular pH responsiveness across diverse human cell types including HEK293T, PANC-1 and MDA-MB231 cells. Following stable integration in MDA-MB-231 cells, SurpHer enabled time-course imaging of pHe gradients in a microfluidic platform for modelling tumour microenvironments. SurpHer enables real-time interrogation of the pericellular pH environment of tumor cells and, more broadly, provides a strategy to probe microenvironmental pH dynamics across diverse biological contexts.