Photochemical control of endogenous ion channels and cellular excitability.

@article{citeulike:2534833, abstract = {Light-activated ion channels provide a precise and noninvasive optical means for controlling action potential firing, but the genes encoding these channels must first be delivered and expressed in target cells. Here we describe a method for bestowing light sensitivity onto endogenous ion channels that does not rely on exogenous gene expression. The method uses a synthetic photoisomerizable small molecule, or photoswitchable affinity label (PAL), that specifically targets K(+) channels. PALs contain a reactive electrophile, enabling covalent attachment of the photoswitch to naturally occurring nucleophiles in K(+) channels. Ion flow through PAL-modified channels is turned on or off by photoisomerizing PAL with different wavelengths of light. We showed that PAL treatment confers light sensitivity onto endogenous K(+) channels in isolated rat neurons and in intact neural structures from rat and leech, allowing rapid optical regulation of excitability without genetic modification.}, address = {Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, 121 Life Sciences Addition, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.}, author = {Fortin, Doris L L. and Banghart, Matthew R R. and Dunn, Timothy W W. and Borges, Katharine and Wagenaar, Daniel A A. and Gaudry, Quentin and Karakossian, Movses H H. and Otis, Thomas S S. and Kristan, William B B. and Trauner, Dirk and Kramer, Richard H H. }, citeulike-article-id = {2534833}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1187}, issn = {1548-7105}, journal = {Nat Methods}, keywords = {excitability, ionic\_channels, methods}, month = {March}, posted-at = {2008-03-14 20:48:00}, priority = {2}, title = {Photochemical control of endogenous ion channels and cellular excitability.}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1187}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2534833 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2534833 TI - Photochemical control of endogenous ion channels and cellular excitability. JF - Nat Methods AD - Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, 121 Life Sciences Addition, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. SN - 1548-7105 N2 - Light-activated ion channels provide a precise and noninvasive optical means for controlling action potential firing, but the genes encoding these channels must first be delivered and expressed in target cells. Here we describe a method for bestowing light sensitivity onto endogenous ion channels that does not rely on exogenous gene expression. The method uses a synthetic photoisomerizable small molecule, or photoswitchable affinity label (PAL), that specifically targets K(+) channels. PALs contain a reactive electrophile, enabling covalent attachment of the photoswitch to naturally occurring nucleophiles in K(+) channels. Ion flow through PAL-modified channels is turned on or off by photoisomerizing PAL with different wavelengths of light. We showed that PAL treatment confers light sensitivity onto endogenous K(+) channels in isolated rat neurons and in intact neural structures from rat and leech, allowing rapid optical regulation of excitability without genetic modification. KW - excitability KW - ionic_channels KW - methods AU - Fortin, Doris L AU - Banghart, Matthew R AU - Dunn, Timothy W AU - Borges, Katharine AU - Wagenaar, Daniel A AU - Gaudry, Quentin AU - Karakossian, Movses H AU - Otis, Thomas S AU - Kristan, William B AU - Trauner, Dirk AU - Kramer, Richard H PY - 2008/03/02/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.1187 ER -