Channelrhodopsins for optical control of cells
AssigneesMassachusetts Institute of Technology, The Governors of the University of Alberta
InventorsNathan Klapoetke, Brian Yichiun Chow, Edward Boyden, Gane Ka-Shu Wong, Yongku Peter Cho
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Abstract
The invention, in some aspects relates to compositions and methods for altering cell activity and function and the introduction and use of light-activated ion channels.
Claims21
A method of altering ion conductivity of a membrane, the method comprising,
- a) expressing in a host membrane in a cell a light-activated ion channel polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% amino acid identity to amino acids 61-295 of SEQ ID NO:
- 7 and at least 95% identity to the remaining amino acids of SEQ ID NO:
- 7, wherein the light-activated ion channel polypeptide is part of a heterologous fusion protein;
- and
- b) contacting the light-activated ion channel polypeptide with a light that activates the light-activated ion channel and alters the ion conductivity of the membrane.
A method of assessing the effect of a candidate compound on ion conductivity of a membrane, the method comprising,
- a) contacting a test membrane comprising a light-activated ion channel polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% amino acid identity to amino acids 61-295 of SEQ ID NO:
- 7 and at least 95% identity to the remaining amino acids of SEQ ID NO:
- 7, wherein the light activated ion channel polypeptide is part of a heterologous fusion protein with a light under conditions suitable for altering ion conductivity of the membrane, wherein the test membrane is a cell membrane;
- b) contacting the test membrane with a candidate compound;
- and
- c) identifying the presence or absence of a change in ion conductivity of the test membrane contacted with the light and the candidate compound compared to ion conductivity in a control cell membrane contacted with the light and not contacted with the candidate compound;
- wherein a change in the ion conductivity in the test membrane compared to the control membrane indicates an effect of the candidate compound on the ion conductivity of the test membrane.
A light activated ion channel polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% amino acid identity to amino acids 61-295 of SEQ ID NO:
- 7 and at least 95% identity to the remaining amino acids of SEQ ID NO:
- 7, wherein the light activated ion channel polypeptide is part of a heterologous fusion protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.