FIG. 3.

TAEL 2.0 modifications improve both the rate and level of light-induced expression. (A) Schematic comparing TAEL 1.0 and TAEL 2.0. TAEL 1.0 consists of the TAEL transcription factor that lacks an NLS and the C120T promoter containing a minimal TATA box sequence. TAEL 2.0 consists of the TAEL-N transcription factor with a C-terminal NLS and the C120F promoter containing the basal promoter from the mouse Fos gene. (B) Comparison of light-induced mCherry expression over time using TAEL 1.0 (black, squares) or TAEL 2.0 (blue, dots). Tg(C120T:mCherry) or Tg(C120F:mCherry) embryos were injected with mRNA for TAEL or TAEL-N, respectively. mCherry expression was activated by illuminating embryos with blue light (pulsed at a frequency of 1 h on/1 h off), starting at 3 hpf. mCherry transcript levels were measured by qPCR at the indicated time points and normalized to 0 h postactivation. Y-axis is set at log₂ scale. Dots and squares represent biological replicates. Solid lines represent mean. Error bars represent SD.