Assays, Tools and Reagents made by the Zhou Lab are distributed through the followign venues: Addgene, Kerafast, Applied Biological Materials, CancerTools.org

Tools for optical monitoring and control of calcium/NFAT signaling

Tool names
Applications
Resources
LOV2-STIM1 chimera for light-inducible activation of ORAI channels
eLife '15 Available at Addgene Also available at ABM
CRY2/CIB-STIM1 chimeras as genetically-encoded calcium channel actuator for optical control of ORAI channels
LOV2-ORAI1 chimera as a ligh-operated calcium channel
Nat Commun '21 Available at ABM
Azopyrazole-based photoswitchable CRAC channel inhibitor
YZ129
A small molecule targeting HSP70/CaN/NFAT for brain tumor killing
A STIM1-binindg partner that facilitates store operated calcium entry (SOCE)
STIM1beta PM-STIM
A tumor-promoting STIM1 splice variant; PM-resident STIM1/2 variants
FRET-based ER calcium sensors
STIM1-based FRET sensors to monitor ER Ca2+ depletion (Donor: STIM1-1-310-CFP; Acceptor: YFP-SOAR variants)
Nat Commun '15 Available at Addgene
NEMOb | NEMOc | NEMOf | NEMOs | NEMOm
mNeoGreen-based calcium indicators (GECIs) with high dynamics and sensitivity (>100-fold change); Five variants: bright, contrast, fast, sensitive, and medium
Nat Methods '23 Available at Addgene NEMOer series: ER-resdient, mitochondrial, or nuclear versions available upon request
OptoRGK
RGK engineered to switch off voltage gated calcium channel CaV by light
CRAB | optoCRAB | ChemoCRAB
Genetically encoded CRAC channel blockers and light-, chemical, or protease-switchable variants
To be released
VIP-CRAC | VIP-CRAB
Viral protease-sensitive CRAC channel and blockers
To be released
mHERTZ
Modular hybrid engineered recorders for tracking enzyme and protein activity
To be released
Thermo-CRAC | Thermo-CRAB
Engineered temperature-sensitive CRAC channel modulators; Thermosensitive STIM1/ORAI1/CRAB
To be released
CRACi
CRAC channel inhibitors; small molecules or cyclic peptides
To be released
DeCAMP
De nono engineered Ca channel modulating proteins
To be released
PeCAMP
Peptide-based calcium channel modulators
To be released

Tools for immunomodulation and optogenetic immunotherapy

Tool names
Applications
Resources
Light-switchable chimeric antigen receptor for optogenetic CAR-T cell therapy
Nat Nanotech '21
cpLOV2-based optogenetic CAR designed for photo-inducible activation CAR-T cells
CRY2-STING chimeras for light-inducible activation of STING mediated anti-tumor immunity
Light-inducible clustering of MAVS subdomain to photo-manipulate IRF3-mediated immune response
Light-inducible clustering of MyD88 to initiate TLR-independent NF-kb activation
SAMBA-CAR T
Salicylic acid responsive CAR T cell therapy
HyLo-CAR T
TME-responsive CAR T cell therapy
To be released
OmegaCAR-T

To be released
NEOSURF
Neo-Engineered Oncotarget Surface for Universal Redirection of Functionalized CAR-T cells
To be released

Tools for precise control of organelles and membrane contact sites (MCS)

Tool names
Applications
Resources
LiMETER v1
Light inducible assembly of membrane contact sites between ER and PM
LiMETER v2 | OptoPBer
CRY2/CIB-STIM1 chimeras for light-inducible activation of ORAI channels
OptoPB
LOV2-PB fusion for optical control of protein-phosphoinositide (PIP2/PIP3) interaction
Chem Sci '17 Available at Addgene
pNUT1
Single-component LOV2-based nucleolus-targeting tool
NAR '22 Available at Addgene
pNUT2
Optical contrtol of nucleolar delivery of cargo proteins
NAR '22Available at Addgene
pNUT3
Single-component CRY2-based nucleolus-targeting tool
NAR '22Available at Addgene
MoTag
A genetically-encoded tag for real-time detection of protein oligomeric state; microtubule-binders based
LiSODA
Light-inducible subcellular organelle delocalizatino and actuation tools
To be released
optoEndo
Single-component light-inducible early endosome targeting tool
To be released
optoGolgi
Single-component light-inducible Golgi complex targeting tool
To be released
optoLyso
Single-component light-inducible late endosome or lysosome targeting tool
To be released
optoPEX
Single-component light-inducible peroxisome targeting tool
To be released
OptoMIC toolkit OptoMIT | OptoTIP | OptoSAW
A suite of optogenetic tools for light-inducible microtubule labeling, plus end tracking, and destabilizing
To be released
ChiACT
Chemogenetic tools to remodel actin cytoskeleton
More...

To be released

Modular tools for protein engineering and signaling rewiring

Tool names
Applications
Resources
cpLOV2
Circularly permuted LOV2 as a modular caging moiety and allosteric switch
cpLID
cpLOV2 paired with sspB as an optical dimerizer
cpRAPID
Circularly permuted rapamycin-inducible dimerization system
COSMO BiCOSMO-S
Caffeine-inducible dimerization systems
BiCOSMO-L
Engineered bivalent anti-caffeine nanobody as an allosteric swtich
PhoBIT
Photo-inducible binary interaction tools
LiPAD
Light-inducible protein association and dissociation devices
to be released
SAMBA
Salicylic acid or aspirin-controllable heterodimerizatino tool
CODS
caffeine-operated dissociation system
to be released
VIPoligo
Antiviral-inducible oligomerization tool
to be released
VitaPAD
Vitamin-inducible protein association or dissociation device
to be released
LiVelcro | LOVoligo
LOV2-based oligomerization and heterodimerization tools
to be released
IcePAD
Inducible Cold-triggered control of Protein Allostery and Dynamics
to be released
cMOCHA
Metabolite–driven Oligomerization and Control of Heteromeric Association 
to be released
LATTE
Ligand-Activated Tunable Tool for protein dimerization and allosteric Engineering
to be released

Chemo- or photo-switchable nanobody and monobody

Tool names
Applications
Resources
Sunbody
Light-switchable nanobody (ON-Switch)
Moonbody
Light-switchable monobody (OFF-switch)
Chessbody
Chemically switchable split nanobody
JMB '18 Available at Addgene
CHASER | Caffebody
Single-component caffeine-switchable nanobody
Chem Sci '25 Available at Kerafast
RASER | Rapabody
Single-chain rapamycin-switchable nanobody
Chem Sci '25 Available at Kerafast
CaMbody
Calcium-switchable nanobody
To be released
VIPbody
Protease-sensitive nanobody
To be released
Thermobody
Temperature-controlled intrabody
To be released
PepBody
Peptide-grafted nanobody
To be released
RUMBA
Repurposed GPCR for micronutrient- and beta arrestin-mediated acutation
To be released
AROMA
Aromatic amino acid-operated molecular association tool
To be released

Wireless optogenetics solutions

Tool names
Applications
Resources
UCNP
NIR-to-blue upconversion nanoparticles for deeper tissue penetration
NanoLOGS
NanoLuc‐catalyzed bioluminescence‐based optogenetic stimulation system
Adv Sci '21Available at Addgene

Optical control of enzymes, pyroptosis and necroptosis

Tool names
Applications
Resources
LiPOP1
A single-component optogenetic tool for photoswitchable necroptosis
Adv Sci '21 Aavailable at Addgene
LiPOP2
Light-switchable induction of pyroptosis
Adv Sci '21Available at Addgene
optoID | ChemID
Light or chemical-inducible control of TurboID for photo-activatable biotinylation / proximity labeling

Tools for inducible transcriptional and epigenetic control

Tool names
Applications
Resources
LAMPS
A single-component optogenetic tool for photoswitchable necroptosis
Sci Adv '23 Aavailable at Addgene
CaRROT
Rewiring calcium signaling for CRISPR-mediated endogenous gene activation
CiDER
A splti TET2 enzyme for chemical inducible epigenetic remodeling
VIP-CRISPR
Viral protease-sensitive CRISPR/Cas9 tools
to be released

GPCR inspired molecular tools

Tool names
Applications
Resources
TRAPIT
Transmembrane receptor-aided protein degradation tool
To be released
OPERAS
Orthogonal peptide-engaged receptor actuation system
To be released
SENTRYL
Synthetic ENgineered Transmembrane Receptor for Ligand-sensing
To be released
ALOHA
Acidic- and Low-Oxygen–Responsive Homeostatic Adaptation system
To be released
RUMBA
Repurposed GPCR for micronutrient- and beta arrestin-mediated acutation
To be released
OMEGA

To be released
MELODY
Metabolite-, lipid-, OTC drug-, and dietary-supplement–actuated tools
To be released
Contact : Zhou Lab / Texas A&M IBT/CTCR 2121 W Holcombe Blvd Houston, TX 77030
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