{
  "id": 3283512,
  "title": "A genetically encoded RhoG FRET biosensor reveals spatially compartmentalized RhoG-Rac1 signaling during cell protrusion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/a-genetically-encoded-rhog-fret-biosensor-reveals-spatially",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-25T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.24.746776v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A groundbreaking study unveils a genetically engineered RhoG FRET biosensor, shedding light on spatially compartmentalized signaling during cell protrusion. This innovative biosensor, built on a full-length RhoG and an intramolecular RhoG-binding domain, demonstrates an impressive dynamic range when gauging active and inactive RhoG mutants. It effectively responds to regulation by RhoGDI, GAPs, and GEFs, and detects RhoG activation in live cells stimulated by growth factors. When viewed in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, it reveals dynamic RhoG activation at leading-edge protrusions, dorsal ruffles, and pinocytic and macropinocytic structures. By coupling this RhoG biosensor with a Rac1 FRET biosensor, researchers confirm a positive correlation between RhoG and Rac1 activities near the leading edge of protrusions. However, their coupling weakens as distance from the edge increases, suggesting partial spatial decoupling within protrusive regions. Notably, Src-family kinase inhibition disrupts RhoG dynamics, significantly curtails Rac1 coupling to protrusion, and reverses the normal positive correlation between RhoG and Rac1 activities. This new biosensor provides a direct visualization of RhoG activity and uncovers that RhoG and Rac1 are coordinated yet spatially and temporally distinct components of protrusion-associated signaling networks, with Src-family kinases playing a pivotal role in preserving their normal coupling.",
  "summary": "RhoG is a member of the Rho-family of small GTPases, and is closely related to the canonical Rac1 GTPase, implicated in membrane trafficking, dorsal ruffling, macropinocytosis, and cell protrusion, but its activity has been difficult to visualize directly in living cells with high spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we developed and validated a genetically encoded, single-chain Forster…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}