College of Medicine, Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI, USA.
Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Commun Biol. 2022 Jan 11;5(1):33. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02981-7.
Understanding percepts, engrams and actions requires methods for selectively modulating synaptic communication between specific subsets of interconnected cells. Here, we develop an approach to control synaptically connected elements using bioluminescent light: Luciferase-generated light, originating from a presynaptic axon terminal, modulates an opsin in its postsynaptic target. Vesicular-localized luciferase is released into the synaptic cleft in response to presynaptic activity, creating a real-time Optical Synapse. Light production is under experimenter-control by introduction of the small molecule luciferin. Signal transmission across this optical synapse is temporally defined by the presence of both the luciferin and presynaptic activity. We validate synaptic Interluminescence by multi-electrode recording in cultured neurons and in mice in vivo. Interluminescence represents a powerful approach to achieve synapse-specific and activity-dependent circuit control in vivo.
理解知觉、记忆痕迹和动作需要有选择性地调节特定相互连接的细胞亚群之间的突触通讯的方法。在这里，我们开发了一种使用生物发光光来控制突触连接元件的方法：来自突触前轴突末端的荧光素酶产生的光调节其突触后靶标中的光受体。囊泡定位的荧光素酶响应突触前活动而释放到突触间隙中，从而产生实时光突触。通过引入小分子荧光素，光的产生受实验者控制。通过在培养神经元和体内小鼠中进行多电极记录来验证突触间荧光。突触间荧光代表了一种强大的方法，可以在体内实现突触特异性和活动依赖性的电路控制。
