Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.

The light-gated cation channel Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a powerful and versatile tool for controlling neuronal activity. Currently available versions of ChR2 either distribute uniformly throughout the plasma membrane or are localised specifically to somatodendritic or synaptic domains. Localisin...

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Main Authors: Matthew S Grubb, Juan Burrone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2010-10-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013761&type=printable
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author Matthew S Grubb
Juan Burrone
author_facet Matthew S Grubb
Juan Burrone
author_sort Matthew S Grubb
collection DOAJ
description The light-gated cation channel Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a powerful and versatile tool for controlling neuronal activity. Currently available versions of ChR2 either distribute uniformly throughout the plasma membrane or are localised specifically to somatodendritic or synaptic domains. Localising ChR2 instead to the axon initial segment (AIS) could prove an extremely useful addition to the optogenetic repertoire, targeting the channel directly to the site of action potential initiation, and limiting depolarisation and associated calcium entry elsewhere in the neuron. Here, we describe a ChR2 construct that we localised specifically to the AIS by adding the ankyrinG-binding loop of voltage-gated sodium channels (Na(v)II-III) to its intracellular terminus. Expression of ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III did not significantly affect the passive or active electrical properties of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. However, the tiny ChR2 currents and small membrane depolarisations resulting from AIS targeting meant that optogenetic control of action potential firing with ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III was unsuccessful in baseline conditions. We did succeed in stimulating action potentials with light in some ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III-expressing neurons, but only when blocking KCNQ voltage-gated potassium channels. We discuss possible alternative approaches to obtaining precise control of neuronal spiking with AIS-targeted optogenetic constructs and propose potential uses for our ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III probe where subthreshold modulation of action potential initiation is desirable.
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spelling doaj-art-b5804bbd1ed84ab3920c4f0408bf2db12025-08-20T02:01:57ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032010-10-01510e1376110.1371/journal.pone.0013761Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.Matthew S GrubbJuan BurroneThe light-gated cation channel Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a powerful and versatile tool for controlling neuronal activity. Currently available versions of ChR2 either distribute uniformly throughout the plasma membrane or are localised specifically to somatodendritic or synaptic domains. Localising ChR2 instead to the axon initial segment (AIS) could prove an extremely useful addition to the optogenetic repertoire, targeting the channel directly to the site of action potential initiation, and limiting depolarisation and associated calcium entry elsewhere in the neuron. Here, we describe a ChR2 construct that we localised specifically to the AIS by adding the ankyrinG-binding loop of voltage-gated sodium channels (Na(v)II-III) to its intracellular terminus. Expression of ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III did not significantly affect the passive or active electrical properties of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. However, the tiny ChR2 currents and small membrane depolarisations resulting from AIS targeting meant that optogenetic control of action potential firing with ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III was unsuccessful in baseline conditions. We did succeed in stimulating action potentials with light in some ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III-expressing neurons, but only when blocking KCNQ voltage-gated potassium channels. We discuss possible alternative approaches to obtaining precise control of neuronal spiking with AIS-targeted optogenetic constructs and propose potential uses for our ChR2-YFP-Na(v)II-III probe where subthreshold modulation of action potential initiation is desirable.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013761&type=printable
spellingShingle Matthew S Grubb
Juan Burrone
Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.
PLoS ONE
title Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.
title_full Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.
title_fullStr Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.
title_full_unstemmed Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.
title_short Channelrhodopsin-2 localised to the axon initial segment.
title_sort channelrhodopsin 2 localised to the axon initial segment
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013761&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT matthewsgrubb channelrhodopsin2localisedtotheaxoninitialsegment
AT juanburrone channelrhodopsin2localisedtotheaxoninitialsegment