OPTOGENETIC PROBES FOR MEMBRANE POTENTIAL

摘要

The invention provides methods, cells and constructs for optical measurement of membrane potential. These methods can be used in cells that are not accessible to presently available methods using electrodes. The methods can be directed to, for example, high-throughput drug screening assays to determine agents that can affect membrane potential of a target cell.

主权项

1. A method for measuring membrane potential in a cell expressing a nucleic acid encoding a microbial rhodopsin protein, the method comprising the steps of:
a. exciting, in vitro, at least one cell comprising a nucleic acid encoding a microbial rhodopsin protein with light of at least one wave length; and b. detecting, in vitro, at least one optical signal from the at least one cell, wherein the level of fluorescence emitted by the at least one cell compared to a reference is indicative of the membrane potential of the cell.