title: Independent optical excitation of distinct neural populations.
abstract: Optogenetic tools enable examination of how specific cell types contribute to brain circuit functions. A long-standing question is whether it is possible to independently activate two distinct neural populations in mammalian brain tissue. Such a capability would enable the study of how different synapses or pathways interact to encode information in the brain. Here we describe two channelrhodopsins, Chronos and Chrimson, discovered through sequencing and physiological characterization of opsins from over 100 species of alga. Chrimson's excitation spectrum is red shifted by 45 nm relative to previous channelrhodopsins and can enable experiments in which red light is preferred. We show minimal visual system-mediated behavioral interference when using Chrimson in neurobehavioral studies in Drosophila melanogaster. Chronos has faster kinetics than previous channelrhodopsins yet is effectively more light sensitive. Together these two reagents enable two-color activation of neural spiking and downstream synaptic transmission in independent neural populations without detectable cross-talk in mouse brain slice.
authors: 1] The MIT Media Laboratory, Synthetic Neurobiology Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [3] MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [4] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [5] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Nathan C
authors: NC
authors: Klapoetke
authors: 1] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Yasunobu
authors: Y
authors: Murata
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: Sung Soo
authors: SS
authors: Kim
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: Stefan R
authors: SR
authors: Pulver
authors: 1] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Birdsey-Benson
authors: 1] The MIT Media Laboratory, Synthetic Neurobiology Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [3] MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [4] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [5] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Yong Ku
authors: YK
authors: Cho
authors: 1] The MIT Media Laboratory, Synthetic Neurobiology Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [3] MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [4] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [5] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Tania K
authors: TK
authors: Morimoto
authors: 1] The MIT Media Laboratory, Synthetic Neurobiology Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [3] MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [4] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [5] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Amy S
authors: AS
authors: Chuong
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors: Eric J
authors: EJ
authors: Carpenter
authors: Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
authors: Zhijian
authors: Z
authors: Tian
authors: Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
authors: Yinlong
authors: Y
authors: Xie
authors: Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
authors: Zhixiang
authors: Z
authors: Yan
authors: Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors: Brian Y
authors: BY
authors: Chow
authors: Institute of Botany, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Surek
authors: Institute of Botany, Cologne Biocenter, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Melkonian
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: Vivek
authors: V
authors: Jayaraman
authors: 1] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Martha
authors: M
authors: Constantine-Paton
authors: 1] Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. [2] Beijing Genomics Institute-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. [3] Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors: Gane Ka-Shu
authors: GK
authors: Wong
authors: 1] The MIT Media Laboratory, Synthetic Neurobiology Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [3] MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [4] Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [5] MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Edward S
authors: ES
authors: Boyden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D062308:Optogenetics; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012243:Rhodopsin