Chemogenetic manipulation of endogenous proteins in fission yeast using a self-localizing ligand-induced protein translocation (SLIPT) system

Cells sense extracellular stimuli through membrane receptors and process the information through an intracellular signaling network. Protein translocation triggers intracellular signaling, and techniques such as chemically induced dimerization (CID) have been used to manipulate signaling pathways by altering the subcellular localization of signaling molecules. However, in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the commonly used FKBP-FRB system has technical limitations, and therefore perturbation tools with low cytotoxicity and high temporal resolution are needed. We here applied our recently developed self-localizing ligand-induced protein translocation (SLIPT) system to S. pombe and successfully perturbed several cell cycle-related proteins. The SLIPT system utilizes self-localizing ligands to recruit binding partners to specific subcellular compartments, such as the plasma membrane or nucleus. We optimzed the self-localizing ligands to maintain long-term recruitment of target molecules to the plasma membrane. By knocking in genes encoding the binding partners for self-localizing ligands, we observed changes in the localization of several endogenous molecules and found perturbations in the cell cycle and associated phenotypes. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the SLIPT system as a chemogenetic tool for rapid perturbation of endogenous molecules in S. pombe, providing a valuable approach for studying intracellular signaling and cell cycle regulation with improved temporal resolution.