Source 1review2019Methods and Protocols
Toolkit/microbial rhodopsins
microbial rhodopsins
Also known as: rhodopsin-based optogenetics, rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, rhodopsins, seven-transmembrane rhodopsin protein family
Taxonomy: Mechanism Branch / Component. Workflows sit above the mechanism and technique branches rather than replacing them.
Summary
Microbial rhodopsins are rhodopsin-based optogenetic protein domains that are activated by visible light. The supplied evidence identifies them as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Usefulness & Problems
Why this is useful
These proteins are useful for optogenetic control because they provide light-responsive protein domains that can be actuated with visible wavelengths. The evidence also places them within a broader effort to control cellular functions in the brain and other tissues, while conventional fiber-optic delivery is noted as invasive.
Source:
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Problem solved
Microbial rhodopsins help solve the problem of achieving optical control of biological activity using visible light-responsive proteins. The supplied literature also frames a related delivery problem: conventional optogenetics often requires fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Source:
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Published Workflows
Objective: Elucidate microbial rhodopsin function and structure in order to enable optogenetic applications.
Why it works: The abstract links discovery and characterization methods to understanding rhodopsin function and structure, and then to optogenetic applications.
ion pumpingsensory signalingchannel activityretinal-dependent photoreceptiongenetic techniquesgene sequencingspectroscopic studiesbiophysical studiesmolecular biology methods
Stages
- 1.Protein identification by genetics and sequencing(in_silico_filter)
This stage expands the known rhodopsin repertoire beyond the originally discovered archaeal ion pumps and sensors.
Selection: Identification of additional rhodopsin proteins using modern genetic techniques and gene sequencing tools.
- 2.Functional characterization by spectroscopy and biophysics(functional_characterization)
This stage determines whether identified rhodopsins function as ion pumps, sensors, or channels and clarifies their mechanistic diversity.
Selection: Spectroscopic and other biophysical studies reveal diverse rhodopsin functions.
- 3.Function and structure elucidation for application development(confirmatory_validation)
The review explicitly connects function and structure elucidation to downstream optogenetic applications.
Selection: Molecular biology methods enabled elucidation of function and structure leading to optogenetic applications.
Objective: Rationally exploit microbial rhodopsins as future optogenetic tools by grounding engineering in molecular biophysics and mechanism.
Why it works: The review explicitly states that understanding molecular mechanism is a prerequisite for rational exploitation, implying that mechanistic biophysics should precede or guide tool development.
retinal photoisomerizationlight-gated ion channel activitylight-driven ion pump activitybiophysical characterizationmechanism-guided engineering
Objective: Use patterned multiphoton illumination to steer microbial rhodopsins into desired fluorescent/nonfluorescent or active/inactive states for sensing and control.
Why it works: The review states that many light-responsive molecules undergo more than one light-driven transition with different spectra and kinetics, allowing patterned beams to bias occupancy of specific states.
light-driven transitions with different action spectralight-driven transitions with different kineticsstate steering between fluorescent and nonfluorescent conformationsstate steering between active and inactive conformationsoverlapping multiple laser beamspatterning light in spacepatterning light in timepatterning light in wavelength
Stages
- 1.Select or engineer light-responsive molecules with suitable multistate photocycles(library_design)
The review emphasizes that multistate photocycles and known spectroscopy are prerequisites for patterned state steering.
Selection: Molecules should undergo more than one light-driven transition with different action spectra and kinetics.
- 2.Apply overlapping laser beams patterned in space, time, and wavelength(functional_characterization)
This is the core operational step that exploits distinct action spectra and kinetics to bias molecular state occupancy.
Selection: Use patterned illumination to steer molecules into fluorescent/nonfluorescent or active/inactive conformations.
- 3.Evaluate whether patterned control circumvents one-photon limitations and enables new imaging or stimulation capabilities(confirmatory_validation)
The review explicitly frames these limitations as the motivation for using multiphoton patterned control instead of simple one-photon excitation.
Selection: Assess whether the optical strategy yields subdiffraction resolution, optical sectioning, robustness to scattering, or increased multiplexing.
Taxonomy & Function
Primary hierarchy
Mechanism Branch
Component: A low-level protein part used inside a larger architecture that realizes a mechanism.
Mechanisms
light activationTechniques
Directed EvolutionTarget processes
No target processes tagged yet.
Input: Light
Implementation Constraints
The available evidence indicates that these tools respond to visible light, so implementation requires visible-light illumination. No construct architecture, cofactor requirements, expression system details, or delivery parameters are provided in the supplied evidence.
The provided evidence does not specify individual rhodopsin classes, kinetics, ion selectivity, dynamic range, or performance metrics. It also does not show independent validation details beyond broad statements of use and spectral sensitivity.
Validation
Cell-freeBacteriaMammalianMouseHumanTherapeuticIndep. Replication
Supporting Sources
Source 2review2025ACS Chemical Biology
Source 3primary paper2015Methods in molecular biology
Source 4review2015Biophysics and Physicobiology
Source 5review2023Quarterly Reviews of Biophysics
Source 6review2021Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
Ranked Claims
The molecular tools for cellular control in optogenetics and thermogenetics are continuously being optimized, studied, and modified, with expanding applications and biomedical uses.
This review covers microbial rhodopsins and TRP superfamily proteins as molecular tool classes for optogenetic and thermogenetic control of non-neuronal tissues and mammalian cells.
Activating neurons with microbial rhodopsin-based optogenetics can probe what functions those neurons can initiate or sustain, while silencing can probe what functions they are necessary for.
By activating a set of neurons, one can probe what functions they can initiate or sustain, and by silencing a set of neurons, one can probe the functions they are necessary for.
Specific biophysical properties of microbial rhodopsins made them especially useful for controlling high-speed electrical activity in the brain with precision and ease.
Our hope is to convey to the reader how specific biophysical properties of these molecules made them especially useful to neuroscientists for a difficult problem - the control of high-speed electrical activity, with great precision and ease, in the brain.
Microbial rhodopsins became useful in neuroscience because their biophysical properties enable light-based control of targeted neural electrical activity.
We then review the biophysical attributes of rhodopsins that make them so useful to neuroscience - their classes and structure, their photocycles, their photocurrent magnitudes and kinetics, their action spectra, and their ion selectivity.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
These phosphor-based remote optogenetic methods are being explored as less invasive, wireless approaches for controlling cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
The development of these methodologies has stimulated researchers to test novel strategies for less invasive, wireless control of cellular functions in the brain and other tissues.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Up-conversion and down-conversion phosphors have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activity in living animals.
Recent advances in material science integrated with neuroscience have enabled remote optogenetic control of neuronal activities in living animals using up- or down-conversion phosphors.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Current phosphor-enabled remote optogenetic technologies still have limitations and require further development toward non-invasive clinical applications.
Here, we review recent reports related to these new technologies and discuss the current limitations and future perspectives toward the establishment of non-invasive optogenetics for clinical applications.
Rhodopsin-based optogenetics has been used in experimental cardiology to photoactivate cardiac contractions and to identify effective sites, timing, and location for defibrillating impulses that interrupt cardiac arrhythmias.
Rhodopsin-based optogenetics has later been introduced in experimental cardiology studies and used as a tool to photoactivate cardiac contractions or to identify the sites, timing, and location most effective for defibrillating impulses to interrupt cardiac arrhythmias.
Cell-selective optogenetics and myocardial cell type targeted opsin expression in model organisms have begun to reveal novel and sometimes unexpected aspects of myocardial biology.
The exploitation of cell-selectivity of optogenetics, and the generation of model organisms with myocardial cell type targeted expression of opsins has started to yield novel and sometimes unexpected notions on myocardial biology.
Optogenetics provides noninvasive, cell-type selective modulation of membrane potential and cellular function in vitro and in vivo.
The discovery of optogenetics has revolutionized research in neuroscience by providing the tools for noninvasive, cell-type selective modulation of membrane potential and cellular function in vitro and in vivo.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Photoactivated adenylyl cyclases drive neuronal activity by increasing synaptic vesicle priming, exaggerating rather than overriding intrinsic neuronal activity.
the photoactivated adenylyl cyclases (PACs, that drive neuronal activity by increasing synaptic vesicle priming, thus exaggerating rather than overriding the intrinsic activity of a neuron, as occurs with rhodopsins)
The review summarizes microbial rhodopsin research from the perspectives of distribution, diversity, and potential.
In this review, we summarize progress of microbial rhodopsin research from the viewpoint of distribution, diversity and potential.
Microbial rhodopsins are fundamental tools for optogenetics and enable control of biological activity with light.
Rhodopsins serve as models for membrane-embedded proteins, for photoactive proteins and as a fundamental tool for optogenetics, a new technology to control biological activity with light.
Approval Evidence
6 sources15 linked approval claimsfirst-pass slug microbial-rhodopsins
In this review, we provide brief information on the types of molecular tools for optogenetic and thermogenetic methods—microbial rhodopsins and proteins of the TRP superfamily—and also consider their applications in the field of activation of non-neuronal tissues and mammalian cells.
Source:
Optogenetics, the use of microbial rhodopsins to make the electrical activity of targeted neurons controllable by light...
Source:
Photoactive membrane protein rhodopsins from microorganisms (called microbial rhodopsins) absorb visible light and that light absorption triggers the trans-cis photoisomerization of the chromophore retinal, leading to various functions such as ion pumps, ion channels, transcriptional regulators and enzymes. In addition to their biological significance, microbial rhodopsins are widely utilized as fundamental molecular tools for optogenetics.
Source:
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Source:
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Source:
Taking advantage of the photoreactivity of the seven-transmembrane rhodopsin protein family has been actively investigated by a variety of methods. Rhodopsins serve as models for membrane-embedded proteins, for photoactive proteins and as a fundamental tool for optogenetics, a new technology to control biological activity with light.
Source:
field trendsupports
The molecular tools for cellular control in optogenetics and thermogenetics are continuously being optimized, studied, and modified, with expanding applications and biomedical uses.
Source:
review scopesupports
This review covers microbial rhodopsins and TRP superfamily proteins as molecular tool classes for optogenetic and thermogenetic control of non-neuronal tissues and mammalian cells.
Source:
application summarysupports
Activating neurons with microbial rhodopsin-based optogenetics can probe what functions those neurons can initiate or sustain, while silencing can probe what functions they are necessary for.
By activating a set of neurons, one can probe what functions they can initiate or sustain, and by silencing a set of neurons, one can probe the functions they are necessary for.
Source:
problem fitsupports
Specific biophysical properties of microbial rhodopsins made them especially useful for controlling high-speed electrical activity in the brain with precision and ease.
Our hope is to convey to the reader how specific biophysical properties of these molecules made them especially useful to neuroscientists for a difficult problem - the control of high-speed electrical activity, with great precision and ease, in the brain.
Source:
utility summarysupports
Microbial rhodopsins became useful in neuroscience because their biophysical properties enable light-based control of targeted neural electrical activity.
We then review the biophysical attributes of rhodopsins that make them so useful to neuroscience - their classes and structure, their photocycles, their photocurrent magnitudes and kinetics, their action spectra, and their ion selectivity.
Source:
invasiveness limitationsupports
Conventional optogenetics commonly uses fiber optics placed close to the target, which is highly invasive and problematic.
Conventional optogenetics employs fiber optics inserted close to the target, which is highly invasive and poses various problems for researchers.
Source:
mechanism summarysupports
Microbial rhodopsins absorb visible light and undergo retinal trans-cis photoisomerization that leads to diverse functions including ion pumps, ion channels, transcriptional regulators, and enzymes.
Source:
potential applicationsupports
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools have high potential for basic and clinical research in pharmaceutical sciences.
Source:
spectral constraintsupports
Microbial rhodopsins used for optogenetics are sensitive to visible light.
Microbial rhodopsins widely used for optogenetics are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum.
Source:
tissue penetration limitationsupports
Visible light delivered externally does not reach deep tissue effectively because it is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue.
As visible light is heavily scattered and absorbed by tissue, stimulating light for optogenetic control does not reach deep in the tissue irradiated from outside the subject body.
Source:
use case summarysupports
Microbial rhodopsins are widely used as fundamental molecular tools for optogenetics.
Source:
application scopesupports
Microbial rhodopsins are described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools in C. elegans.
Here, we will focus only on optogenetics utilizing microbial rhodopsins, as these are most easily and most widely applied in C. elegans.
Source:
combination usesupports
Rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools are described in combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity.
we will give an overview of rhodopsin-based optogenetic tools, their properties and function, as well as their combination with genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity
Source:
scope summarysupports
The review summarizes microbial rhodopsin research from the perspectives of distribution, diversity, and potential.
In this review, we summarize progress of microbial rhodopsin research from the viewpoint of distribution, diversity and potential.
Source:
utility summarysupports
Microbial rhodopsins are fundamental tools for optogenetics and enable control of biological activity with light.
Rhodopsins serve as models for membrane-embedded proteins, for photoactive proteins and as a fundamental tool for optogenetics, a new technology to control biological activity with light.
Source:
Comparisons
Source-backed strengths
The supplied evidence supports two main strengths: microbial rhodopsins are widely used for optogenetics and are sensitive to visible-spectrum light. In C. elegans, they are specifically described as the most easily and most widely applied optogenetic tools.
Ranked Citations
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