title: Sequencing the connectome.
abstract: Connectivity determines the function of neural circuits. Historically, circuit mapping has usually been viewed as a problem of microscopy, but no current method can achieve high-throughput mapping of entire circuits with single neuron precision. Here we describe a novel approach to determining connectivity. We propose BOINC ("barcoding of individual neuronal connections"), a method for converting the problem of connectivity into a form that can be read out by high-throughput DNA sequencing. The appeal of using sequencing is that its scale--sequencing billions of nucleotides per day is now routine--is a natural match to the complexity of neural circuits. An inexpensive high-throughput technique for establishing circuit connectivity at single neuron resolution could transform neuroscience research.
authors.affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America. zador@cshl.edu
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zador
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dubnau
authors.forename: Hassana K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Oyibo
authors.forename: Huiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Peikon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D063132:Connectome; D006801:Humans; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods