A Viral Toolbox of Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Synaptic Tags

• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101330
• Publication Date: 2020-06-30T06:41:43Z
• Authors: Seth Bensussen; Sneha Shankar; Kimberley H. Ching; Dana Zemel; Tina L. Ta; Rebecca A. Mount; Sanaya N. Shroff; Howard J. Gritton; Pierre Fabris; Hannah Vanbenschoten; Connor Beck; Heng-Ye Man; Xue Han
• Keywords: Toolbox

Fibronectin intrabodies generated with mRNA display (FingRs) are a recently developed tool for labeling excitatory or inhibitory synapses, the benefit of not altering endogenous synaptic protein expression levels transmission. Here, we viral vector FingR toolbox that allows multi-color, neuron-type-specific synapses in multiple brain regions. We screened various fluorophores, fusion configurations, and transcriptional control regulations adeno-associated virus (AAV) retrovirus designs. report development red variant demonstrated dual same cells. Furthermore, cre-inducible AAV variants their utility, finding density aspiny striatal cholinergic interneurons remained unchanged response to dopamine depletion. Finally, retroviral vectors, which enabled us track hippocampal adult-born granule