title: Recent advances in engineering microbial rhodopsins for optogenetics.
abstract: Protein engineering of microbial rhodopsins has been successful in generating variants with improved properties for applications in optogenetics. Members of this membrane protein family can act as both actuators and sensors of neuronal activity. Chimeragenesis, structure-guided mutagenesis, and directed evolution have proven effective strategies for tuning absorption wavelength, altering ion specificity and increasing fluorescence. These approaches facilitate the development of useful optogenetic tools and, in some cases, have yielded insights into rhodopsin structure-function relationships.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Mail Code 210-41, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America.|Calico Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: R Scott
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: McIsaac
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Mail Code 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Claire N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bedbrook
authors.affiliation: Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Mail Code 210-41, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America.|Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Mail Code 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Frances H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Arnold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008322:Mammals; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D062308:Optogenetics / Q000379:methods*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015202:Protein Engineering; D025604:Rhodopsins, Microbial / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D025604:Rhodopsins, Microbial