# Developing Device of Death Operation (DODO) to Detect Apoptosis in 2D and 3D Cultures

## TL;DR

Researchers developed a new system called DODO to detect apoptosis in 2D and 3D cell cultures using modular components.

## Contribution

The novel DODO system uses a degron-based modular design to monitor biological processes like apoptosis in real time.

## Key findings

- The DODO system successfully detected apoptosis in both 2D and 3D cell cultures.
- The system can be adapted to monitor various biological processes by changing its inductor and reporter components.
- The DODO system effectively reported the presence of TEV protease.

## Abstract

The real-time detection of intracellular biological processes by encoded sensors has broad application prospects. Here, we developed a degron-based modular reporting system, the Device of Death Operation (DODO), that can monitor various biological processes. The DODO system consists of a “reporter”, an “inductor”, and a “degron”. After zymogen activation and cleavage, the degron will be released from the “reporter”, which eventually leads to the stabilization of the “reporter”, and can be detected. By replacing different “inductors” and “reporters”, a series of biological processes can be reported through various signals. The system can effectively report the existence of TEV protease. To prove this concept, we successfully applied the DODO system to report apoptosis in 2D and 3D cultures. In addition, the reporter based on degron will help to design protease reporters other than caspase.