Novel Luminescence Reporters of Neural Activity Partnered with Optogenetics

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A novel luminescence-based methodology for monitoring neural activity as a new tool for functional neuroscience will be developed in this project. Optogenetic methods for stimulating neural activity are revolutionizing neurobiological research in vitro and in vivo. Brief exposure to light of cells expressing channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) can elicit excitatory cation fluxes (or inhibitory ion fluxes with the bacteriorhodopsin bR) To date, the impact of optogenetic stimulation has usually been monitored by electrophysiological methods that are accurate and well characterized, but are difficult and expensive to implement in freely behaving animals in vivo and/or in multiple neurons simultaneously. Optogenetic stimulation would optimally be partnered with less invasive methods to monitor activity among many cells, such as by optical methods. Unfortunately, the currently preferred methods for optically measuring neural activity are based on fluorescence methods that are poorly matched with ChR2/bR because the fluorescence excitation needed to monitor synaptic activity can trigger ChR2 and/or bR. Moreover, fluorescence can photobleach probes and excite tissue autofluorescence that generates undesirable background. Luminescence is an alternate optical technology that avoids problems associated with fluorescence. This project will develop novel luminescence probes for neuronal activity that are genetically encodable and can be targeted to specific cell types and to specific cellular loci that are involved in neural activity. These probes will respond to neuronal activity by changing their luminescence intensity and/or luminescence spectrum. In the latter case, probes based on Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) will be modulated by neural activity so that the spectrum of luminescent emission changes when neurons are activated. Our new luminescence methodology will avoid the drawbacks of electrophysiology and fluorescence excitation (esp. off- target optogenetic stimulation, photobleaching & tissue autofluorescence), and will therefore optimally partner with optogenetic methods for in vitro and in vivo stimulation. These luminescence reporters of neural activity will be characterized in conjunction with optogenetic stimulation of hippocampal primary neurons and of brain slices that reconstitute neural circuits in vitro. In addition, viral vectors encoding these reporters will be used to introduce the probes to the brain in a minimally invasive manner so as to monitor neural activity in freely behaving rodents (i) over the circadian cycle from the hypothalamus, and (ii) before and after optogenetic brain stimulation of the cortex in vivo. This project is appropriate for the R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant mechanism of the NIMH because it will develop new technologies and tools to advance spatiotemporal analyses of complex circuits and cellular interactions in the brains of multiple model animal species.