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Related Concept Videos

Channel Rhodopsins01:11

Channel Rhodopsins

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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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Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

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At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
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Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

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The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...
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G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

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GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory...
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Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

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Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
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Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

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Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 16, 2025

Spatiotemporal Control of Protein Activity through Optogenetic Allosteric Regulation
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Spatiotemporal Control of Protein Activity through Optogenetic Allosteric Regulation

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Blue light opens the ORAI1 LOC(K).

Sonal Srikanth1, Yousang Gwack1

  • 1Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.

Cell Calcium
|February 24, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel light-operated calcium channel by modifying ORAI1. This new optogenetic tool precisely increases cytoplasmic calcium levels, overcoming limitations of existing methods.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Optogenetics

Background:

  • Current optogenetic tools for manipulating cytoplasmic calcium (Ca2+) lack ion selectivity or trigger unwanted signaling.
  • Existing methods present challenges in precisely controlling cellular calcium homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer a novel optogenetic tool for selective elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+.
  • To overcome the limitations of existing calcium-modulating optogenetic strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Integration of a photosensitive module directly into ORAI1 calcium channels.
  • Development of a light-operated Ca2+ channel for precise cellular control.

Main Results:

  • Successfully generated a light-operated Ca2+ channel with enhanced selectivity.
Keywords:
Light-operated Ca(2+) channelOrai1STIM1

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  • Demonstrated the ability to selectively raise cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels using the engineered ORAI1 channel.

    • Conclusions:

    • The novel light-operated ORAI1 channel offers a precise and selective method for modulating cytoplasmic Ca2+.
    • This advancement provides a valuable tool for studying calcium signaling pathways with improved control.