Photo-activatable Cre recombinase regulates gene expression in vivo.
Techniques allowing precise spatial and temporal control of gene expression in the brain are needed. Herein we describe optogenetic approaches using a photo-activatable Cre recombinase (PA-Cre) to stably modify gene expression in the mouse brain. Blue light illumination for 12 hours via optical fibers activated PA-Cre in the hippocampus, a deep brain structure. Two-photon illumination through a thinned skull window for 100 minutes activated PA-Cre within a sub-millimeter region of cortex. Light activation of PA-Cre may allow permanent gene modification with improved spatiotemporal precision compared to standard methods.
Department of Neurology and the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, St. Louis, MO.
Suzanne E
SE
Schindler
Department of Anesthesiology and the Washington University Pain Center, St. Louis, MO.|Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, St. Louis, MO.|Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
Jordan G
JG
McCall
Department of Neurology and the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, St. Louis, MO.
Ping
P
Yan
Department of Neurology and the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, St. Louis, MO.
Krzystof L
KL
Hyrc
Department of Neurology and the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, St. Louis, MO.
Mingjie
M
Li
Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
Chandra L
CL
Tucker
Department of Neurology and the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, St. Louis, MO.
Jin-Moo
JM
Lee
Department of Anesthesiology and the Washington University Pain Center, St. Louis, MO.|Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, St. Louis, MO.
Michael R
MR
Bruchas
Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Marc I
MI
Diamond
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D023061:Gene Order; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D017785:Photons
C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases