Robust optogenetic inhibition with red-light-sensitive anion-conducting channelrhodopsins.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39401075.
- Also identified by DOI 10.7554/eLife.90100 and PMC identifier 11473104.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-gated ion channels widely used to optically activate or silence selected electrogenic cells, such as individual brain neurons. Here, we describe identifying and characterizing a set of anion-conducting ChRs (ACRs) from diverse taxa and representing various branches of the ChR phylogenetic tree. The <i>Mantoniella squamata</i> ACR (MsACR1) showed high sensitivity to yellow-green light (<i>λ</i><sub>max</sub> at 555 nm) and was further engineered for optogenetic applications. A single amino-acid substitution that mimicked red-light-sensitive rhodopsins like Chrimson shifted the photosensitivity 20 nm toward red light and accelerated photocurrent kinetics. Hence, it was named red and accelerated ACR, raACR. Both wild-type and mutant are capable optical silencers at low light intensities in mouse neurons <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>, while raACR offers a higher temporal resolution.
Medical subject headings
- Optogenetics
- Channelrhodopsins
- Light
- Neurons