Photoreceptor and optogenetics research

Red light responsive Cre recombinase for bacterial optogenetics

This paper introduces OptoCre-REDMAP, a red light inducible Cre recombinase system for bacteria, demonstrating its reliability and flexibility in gene expression control.

Optogenetic control of phosphate-responsive genes using single component fusion proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This paper develops and tests optogenetic tools in yeast to control phosphate-responsive gene expression using light-sensitive fusion proteins.

The roles of an extended N-terminal region and ETD motif in a pump-like cation channelrhodopsin discovered in a lake microbiome

This paper characterizes HulaCCR1, a novel BCCR from Lake Hula, showing the ETD motif and extended N/C-termini affect spectral tuning, gating, and membrane localization.

Optogenetic stimulation recruits cortical neurons in amorphology-dependent manner

This study shows that optogenetic stimulation activates cortical neurons in a morphology-dependent manner, with lateral spread influenced by neuronal layer and stimulation intensity.

Potent photoswitch for expression of biotherapeutics in mammalian cells by light

The paper introduces a photoswitch called DEL-VPR that enables strong, light-induced gene expression in mammalian cells, surpassing constitutive promoters and improving protein production.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Spectral Shift in Zebrafish Cone Opsins

This study identifies molecular mechanisms behind spectral shifts in zebrafish cone opsins using molecular modeling and quantum mechanics, highlighting key residues and structural features responsible for different absorption wavelengths.

Ectopically Expressed Rhodopsin Is Not Sensitive to X-rays

This study shows that ectopically expressed human rhodopsin does not respond to X-ray stimulation, unlike visible light, and cannot transduce X-ray signals into neural activity.

Overcoming off-target optical stimulation-evoked cortical activity in the mouse brain in vivo

The paper identifies unintended neuronal activation in the contralateral visual cortex during optogenetic stimulation and proposes ambient light adaptation to mitigate retinal activation.

Transient TELC and transmembrane potential in a laser flashed bacteriorhodopsin purple membrane open flat sheet

The paper analyzes transient TELC and transmembrane potential in laser flashed bacteriorhodopsin purple membranes, finding a peak transient transmembrane potential of 50 mV.

Myo-optogenetics: optogenetic stimulation and electrical recording in skeletal muscles

This paper introduces an optogenetic method for perturbing muscles in transgenic mice, enabling simultaneous EMG recording and optical stimulation to study neuromuscular control.

Potassium-selective channelrhodopsins can exert hyper- or depolarizing effects in excitable cells of Caenorhabditis elegans, depending on experimental condition

This study evaluates the use of potassium-selective channelrhodopsins (KCRs) for hyperpolarizing C. elegans cells, finding that their effectiveness depends on illumination parameters and can sometimes induce depolarization.

A bistable inhibitory OptoGPCR for multiplexed optogenetic control of neural circuits

This paper identifies PdCO as a bistable GPCR with high temporal precision for optogenetic control of neural circuits in vivo.

Deep dive into the diversity and properties of rhodopsins in actinomycetes of the family Geodermatophilaceae

The paper characterizes new rhodopsins in Geodermatophilaceae actinomycetes, including their absorption spectra and ion-pumping activities.

A red light-induced genetic system for control of extracellular electron transfer

The paper develops a red light-inducible genetic system in Shewanella oneidensis to control extracellular electron transfer.

Dynamic Multiplexed Control and Modeling of Optogenetic Systems Using the High-Throughput Optogenetic Platform, Lustro

The paper develops a high-throughput optogenetic platform combined with machine learning to enable multiplexed control of light-sensitive transcription factors in yeast.

Engineering luminopsins with improved coupling efficiencies

This study evaluates factors affecting luminopsin efficacy and identifies strategies to improve their function through molecular evolution.

Dinoflagellate Proton-Pump Rhodopsin Gene in Long Island Sound: Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution

The paper investigates the abundance and diversity of dinoflagellate proton-pump rhodopsin (DiPPR) genes in Long Island Sound, finding year-round presence, higher abundance in eutrophic areas, and associations with phosphorus levels.

Kalium channelrhodopsins effectively inhibit neurons in the small model animals

This study evaluates kalium channelrhodopsins (KCRs) as optogenetic inhibitors in Drosophila, C. elegans, and zebrafish, showing they are effective and have improved properties compared to chloride-conducting ACRs.

Development of an optogenetic gene expression system in Lactococcus lactis using a split photoactivatable T7 RNA polymerase

This paper develops an optogenetic gene expression system in Lactococcus lactis using split T7 RNA polymerase linked to Vivid regulators, enabling light-controlled protein expression with high induction and sensitivity.

Discovering genotype-phenotype relationships with machine learning and the Visual Physiology Opsin Database (VPOD)

The paper introduces a database of opsin genotypes and λmax phenotypes and demonstrates regression-based ML models can predict λmax and identify functionally critical sites.

High-throughput feedback-enabled optogenetic stimulation and spectroscopy in microwell plates

The paper introduces an open-source device for high-throughput optogenetic experiments in microwell plates, enabling automated stimulation, spectroscopy, and feedback control in E. coli.

Fast 2-photon stimulation using holographic patterns

This paper describes an experimental setup for fast 2-photon stimulation of neurons using holographic patterns to achieve sub-millisecond temporal resolution.

Optogenetic activation of visual thalamus generates artificial visual percepts

This study shows that optogenetic stimulation of the lateral geniculate nucleus in tree shrews can generate detectable visual percepts and reveals differences in how thalamic and cortical neurons encode visual stimuli.

Quantitative Analysis of the Optogenetic Excitability of CA1 Neurons

This study uses computational models to analyze optogenetic excitability in CA1 neurons and identifies strategies to improve stimulation protocols.

Optogenetic ion pumps differ with respect to the secondary pattern of K+ redistribution

The paper shows that two optogenetic ion pumps, halorhodopsin and archaerhodopsin, cause different secondary K+ redistribution patterns after activation.

Optogenetic manipulation of second messengers in neurons and cardiomyocytes with microbial rhodopsins and adenylyl cyclase

The paper demonstrates the use of microbial rhodopsins and adenylyl cyclases to control second messengers in zebrafish neurons and cardiomyocytes, revealing their roles in locomotion and cardiac function.

Optogenetic manipulation of Gq-and Gi/o-coupled receptor signaling in neurons and heart muscle cells

The paper develops optogenetic tools using animal G protein-coupled bistable rhodopsins to control Gq and Gi/o signaling in neurons and cardiomyocytes, showing their utility in vivo.

Lustro: High-throughput optogenetic experiments enabled by automation and a yeast optogenetic toolkit

The paper introduces a high-throughput method for designing and testing optogenetic systems in yeast using automation and a modular toolkit.

Optical resolution is not the limiting factor for spatial precision of two-photon optogenetic photostimulation

This paper investigates the factors affecting spatial precision in two-photon optogenetic photostimulation and finds that optical resolution is not the limiting factor.

A New Highly Efficient Molecule for Both Optogenetic and Chemogenetic Control Driven by FRET Amplification of BioLuminescence

The paper introduces a new bioluminescent optogenetic molecule (LMO7) that enhances chemogenetic activation efficacy compared to existing variants, showing improved neuronal activity modulation and behavioral control.