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Dynamic labelling of neural connections in multiple colours by trans-synaptic fluorescence complementation
Lindsey J Macpherson1, Emanuela E Zaharieva2, Patrick J Kearney2
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
Nature Communications
|December 5, 2015
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to label active synapses in fruit flies. This technique allows for multi-color, retrospective labeling of synaptic activity, advancing neuroscience research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Understanding neural circuit computation requires analyzing individual synaptic activity.
- Existing methods lack the ability to retrospectively label active synapses based on their function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel strategies for activity-dependent labeling of synapses in vivo.
- To enable multi-color, retrospective mapping of active neural connections.
Main Methods:
- Utilized trans-synaptic fluorescence complementation in Drosophila.
- Developed a synaptobrevin-GRASP chimera as an activity-dependent synaptic marker.
- Created cyan and yellow variants for multi-color fluorescence reconstitution across synapses (X-RASP).
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the efficacy of the synaptobrevin-GRASP chimera for in vivo synapse labeling.
- Achieved activity-dependent, multi-color fluorescence reconstitution (X-RASP).
- Enabled retrospective labeling of individual active synapses in multiple colors within the same animal.
Conclusions:
- The developed X-RASP system allows for unprecedented retrospective labeling of active synapses.
- This method facilitates new experimental designs for studying neural computation at the synaptic level.
- The strategies are adaptable to various genetic systems for broad circuit mapping applications.
