Deploying photons for communication within neuronal networks

Porta-de-la-Riva, M.; Gonzalez, A. C.; Sanfeliu-Cerdan, N.; Karimi, S.; Gonzalez, S.; Morales-Curiel, L. F.; Hurth, C.; Krieg, M.

doi:10.1101/2021.08.02.454613

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.08.02.454613

Deploying photons for communication within neuronal networks

Porta-de-la-Riva, M.·Gonzalez, A. C.·Sanfeliu-Cerdan, N.·Karimi, S.·Gonzalez, S.·Morales-Curiel, L. F.·Hurth, C.·Krieg, M.

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Abstract

Deficiencies in neurotransmission lead to neurological disorders or misinterpretation of perceived threats. To restore defects in cellular communication, we developed a synthetic, photon-assisted synaptic transmission (PhAST) system. PhAST is based on luciferases and channelrhodopsins that enable the transmission of a neuronal state across space, using photons as neurotransmitters. We demonstrate the ability to overcome synaptic barriers and rescue the behavioral deficit of a genetically engineered glutamate mutant with conditional, Ca2+-triggered photon emission between two cognate neurons of the Caenorhabditis elegans nociceptive avoidance circuit. We also deploy these ingredients for asynaptic transmission between two unrelated cells in a sexually dimorphic neuronal network. Functional PhAST could sensitize otherwise poorly responsive males to touch and hence expand the behavioral repertoire. Our study, thus, establishes a powerful framework for complex photon-based communication between neurons in a living animal, that can readily be expanded to synthetic neuronal networks, organoids or non-invasive brain-machine interfaces.

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Porta-de-la-Riva, M., Gonzalez, A. C., Sanfeliu-Cerdan, N., Karimi, S., Gonzalez, S., Morales-Curiel, L. F., Hurth, C., Krieg, M.. 2021-08-02. Deploying photons for communication within neuronal networks. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.02.454613

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