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Channel Rhodopsins

Channel Rhodopsins

Most organisms use photoreceptors to sense and respond to light. Examples of photoreceptors include bacteriorhodopsins and bacteriophytochromes in some bacteria, phytochromes in plants, and rhodopsins in the photoreceptor cells of the vertebral retina. The light-sensitive property of these receptors is because of the bound chromophores, such as bilin in the phytochromes and retinal in the rhodopsins.
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...

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Light-activated serotonin for exploring its action in biological systems.

Adam C Rea¹, Laura N Vandenberg², Rebecca E Ball³

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.

Chemistry & Biology

|December 17, 2013

Summary

Researchers developed caged serotonin (5-HT) to study its physiological roles. Light-activated BHQ-caged 5-HT successfully modulated neural activity and induced left-right patterning defects in developing embryos.

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Spatiotemporal Control of Protein Activity through Optogenetic Allosteric Regulation

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Published on: October 4, 2024

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Chemical Biology

Background:

Serotonin (5-HT) is a crucial neuromodulator influencing diverse physiological processes, including mood, appetite, memory, and embryonic left-right (LR) asymmetry.
Understanding the precise spatiotemporal roles of 5-HT in these processes is challenging due to its rapid action and widespread distribution.
Novel chemical tools are needed to precisely control 5-HT release for studying its functions.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate novel 'caged' serotonin compounds (BHQ-O-5HT and BHQ-N-5HT) for light-activated 5-HT release.
To investigate the physiological effects of precisely controlled 5-HT release on neural activity and embryonic development.
To explore the potential of caged 5-HT in studying 5-HT-regulated biological processes.

Main Methods:

Synthesis of two novel caged serotonin compounds: BHQ-O-5HT and BHQ-N-5HT.
Light-induced uncaging of 5-HT using one-photon (365 nm) and two-photon (740 nm) excitation.
Assessment of neural activity changes in cultured mouse primary sensory neurons and zebrafish larval brain.
Evaluation of left-right patterning defects in Xenopus laevis embryos upon light-activated 5-HT release at different developmental stages.

Main Results:

BHQ-O-5HT successfully released 5-HT upon exposure to 365 nm or 740 nm light.
Light-activated 5-HT induced high-amplitude spiking in cultured neurons and zebrafish neural tissues.
In Xenopus embryos, light-activated 5-HT significantly increased the incidence of LR patterning defects, with maximal effects observed at developmental stage 5.

Conclusions:

BHQ-caged serotonins provide a powerful tool for spatiotemporally controlled release of 5-HT.
This method enables the study of 5-HT's role in neural activity modulation and embryonic development.
The findings highlight the utility of caged neurotransmitters in dissecting complex physiological processes.