Optogenetic control of ionotropic receptor function by cyclic nucleotides (A03)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2015 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 258780946

Cyclic nucleotides modulate the gating and the spatial organization of many ionotropic receptors. This research project focusses on approaches to monitor and manipulate spatio-temporal cAMP dynamics via genetically encoded optical sensors and photoactivated adenylyl cylclases (PACs), respectively. By combining experiments in heterologous expression systems and Drosophila melanogaster, we will pursue two main research goals. (i) Optimizing PAC-based optogenetics in terms of biophysical properties and sub-cellular protein targeting. (ii) Employing these tools to study glutamate receptor mobility and site-specific synaptic plasticity in an in vivo setting.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 166: High-end light microscopy elucidates membrane receptor function - ReceptorLight
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Robert J. Kittel; Professor Dr. Georg Nagel