Name: whole-cell patch-clamp recordings for electrophysiological determination of ion selectivity in channelrhodopsins
Uploaded: 2017-05-22T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins at JoVE.com

We thank Maila Reh, Tharsana Tharmalingam and especially Altina Klein for excellent technical assistance. This work was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (SFB1078 B2, FOR1279 SPP1665 to P. H.) and the Cluster of Excellence Unifying Concepts in Catalysis, UniCat, BIG-NSE (J.V.) and E4 (P.H.).

<img alt="Figure 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/55497/55497fig1.jpg" /> 
Figure 1: Patch-clamp Setup. (1) Light source, (2) optic fiber, (3) programmable shutter, (4) digitizer, (5) shutter driver, (6) amplifier, (7) perfusion system, (8) personal computer, (9) monitor, (10) faraday cage, (11) microscope stage, (12) perfusion inlet, (13) perfusion outlet, (14) recording chamber, (15) fluid level sensor, (16) bath electrode with agar bridge, (17) pipette holder, (18) heads...

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Determination of reversal potentials at defined ionic and electrical conditions provides information about the ion species transported after light activation of ChRs. If exclusively one ion species is varied in a complex physiological medium and the obtained reversal potential shifts according to the theoretical Nernst potential, this ion species is the only transported one.
However, for ChRs, reversal potential shifts are usually less pronounced than expected from the Nernst equation due to p...

Channelrhodopsins (ChR) are light-gated ion channels that occur in the eye spot of motile green algae, and serve as primary photosensors for phototaxis and phobic responses1. Since their first description in 20022, ChRs have paved the way for the emerging field of optogenetics and can be applied in a variety of excitable cells e.g. within skeletal muscles, the heart, or the brain3,4,5. Expression of ChRs in target cells results in light-controllable ion permeability of the respective cell. In a neuronal context, this allows activation6,7,8 or inhibition9,10 of action potential (AP) firing &#8211; depending on the conducted ion &#8211; with the spatial and temporal precision of light emphasizing how the ion selectivity of a ChR variant determines its optogenetic application.
The first discovered ChRs from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Volvox carteri are permeable to protons, but also to monovalent cations like sodium, potassium, and to a lesser extent to divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium11,12,13. Today, more than 70 natural cation-conducting channelrhodopsins (CCRs)14,15,16,17 and several engineered variants18,19,20 with different properties such as photocurrent size, spectral sensitivity, kinetics, and cation selectivity are available. Whereas in neuroscience, CCRs are used to activate cells and trigger APs, light-driven microbial pumps were the only available antagonists for silencing neurons for years. In 2014, two groups simultaneously showed that CCRs can be converted into anion-conducting channelrhodopsins (ACRs) by alteration of the polarity along the putative ion conducting pore via molecular engineering9,21. Subsequently, natural ACRs were identified in several cryptophyte alga22,23,24. Most importantly, light activation of ACRs mediates chloride currents in adult neurons allowing inhibition of neuronal activity at much lower light intensities than microbial pumps that only transport single charges per absorbed photon.
ChR activity can be directly addressed by electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings of light-induced currents in HEK293 cells. The patch-clamp technique was originally developed in the late 1970s25 and further improved by Hamill et al., allowing the recording of the entity of currents from a small cell (whole cell mode) with high current resolution and direct control of the membrane voltage26. Applied in cell culture, this technique provides accurate control of the ionic as well as electrical recording conditions, and enables studying ion selectivity along with the relative contribution of the ions to the total current. Here we exemplify the examination of ion selectivity for the anion-conducting channelrhodopsin of Proteomonas sulcata (PsACR1)22,23 via the recording of current-voltage relations under various extracellular chloride concentrations to prove high chloride conductance.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr >
			<td >HEK293 cells</td>
			<td >Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td >85120602</td>
			<td >Human embryonic kidney cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Retinal</td>
			<td >Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>R2500</td>
			<td>all-trans retinal</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >FuGENE HD</td>
			<td >Promega</td>
			<td>E2312</td>
			<td>Transfection reagent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >DMEM</td>
			<td >Biochrome</td>
			<td>FG 0445</td>
			<td>Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle Medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Agarose</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>3810</td>
			<td>Agar bridges</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >CaCl2</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>5239</td>
			<td>CaCl2 2H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >CsCl</td>
			<td >Biomol</td>
			<td>2452</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >EGTA</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>3054</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >FBS</td>
			<td >Biochrome</td>
			<td>S0615</td>
			<td>Cell culture</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Glucose</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>HN06</td>
			<td>D(+)-Glucose</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >KCl</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>6781</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >MgCl2</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>2189</td>
			<td>MgCl2 6H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >NaCl</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>3957</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >NMG</td>
			<td >Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>M2004</td>
			<td>N-Methyl-D-glucamine</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Na-Aspartate</td>
			<td >Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>A6683</td>
			<td>L-Aspartic acid sodium salt monohydrate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Citric acid</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>6490</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >AgeI</td>
			<td >ThermoFischerScientific</td>
			<td>ER1462</td>
			<td>Restriction enzyme</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >XhoI</td>
			<td >ThermoFischerScientific</td>
			<td>ER0695</td>
			<td>Restriction enzyme</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >NheI</td>
			<td >ThermoFischerScientific</td>
			<td>ER0975</td>
			<td>Restriction enzyme</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >XL1Blue E.coli/</td>
			<td >Agilent Technologies</td>
			<td>200249</td>
			<td>Chemocompetent E.coli</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Kanamycin</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>T832</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Lysogeny broth medium</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>X964</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Agar-Agar</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>6494</td>
			<td>Agar plates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Plasmid purification kit</td>
			<td >Marchery-Nagel</td>
			<td>740727.25</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Penicilin/Streptomycin</td>
			<td >Biochrome</td>
			<td>A 2213</td>
			<td>Cell culture</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Poly-D-lysine hydrobromide</td>
			<td >Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P6407-5MG</td>
			<td>Cover slip coating</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Microforge</td>
			<td >Custom made</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Fire polishing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Serological pipettes</td>
			<td >TPP</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Different sizes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Clean bench</td>
			<td >Kojair</td>
			<td>Biowizard SL130</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Stirrer</td>
			<td >IKA</td>
			<td>RCT classic</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Silver wire</td>
			<td >Science Products</td>
			<td>AG-T25; AG-T10</td>
			<td>Electrodes, 0.64 mm (bath); 0.25 mm (electrode)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >pH-meter</td>
			<td >Knick</td>
			<td>765 Calimetric</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Osmometer</td>
			<td >Vogel</td>
			<td>OM 815</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Microscope</td>
			<td >Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td>ID03</td>
			<td>Fire polishing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >CO2 incubator</td>
			<td >Binder</td>
			<td>CB150</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Cell culture dishes</td>
			<td >TPP</td>
			<td>93040</td>
			<td>34 mm internal diameter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Cover slips</td>
			<td >Roth</td>
			<td>P232</td>
			<td>15 mm diameter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Thermometer</td>
			<td >R&#246;ssel Messtechnik</td>
			<td>MTM12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Beamsplitter</td>
			<td >Chroma</td>
			<td>21011</td>
			<td>90/10 transmission</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Pipette holder</td>
			<td>ALA Scientific Instruments</td>
			<td>PPH-1P-AXU-0-1.5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Headstage</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices</td>
			<td>CV203BU</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Amplifier</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices</td>
			<td >AxoPatch200B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Digitizer</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices</td>
			<td >DigiData1400</td>
			<td>Digital analog converter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Lightsource</td>
			<td >TILL Photonics</td>
			<td >Polychrome V</td>
			<td>Set to 540 nm full intensity</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Microscope</td>
			<td >Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td >Axiovert 100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Shutter</td>
			<td >Vincent Associates</td>
			<td >VS25</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Shutter driver</td>
			<td >Vincent Associates</td>
			<td >VCM-D1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Glass capilarries</td>
			<td >Warner Instruments</td>
			<td>G150F-3</td>
			<td >Boresilicate capillaries with fire polished ends OD 1.5 mm ID&#160; 0.86 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Micropipette puller</td>
			<td >Sutter Instruments</td>
			<td >P1000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Bath handler</td>
			<td >Lorenz Messger&#228;tebau</td>
			<td >MPCU</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Tripleband filterset</td>
			<td >Chroma</td>
			<td>69008</td>
			<td>Fluorescence filter&#160; ECFP/EYFP/mCherry&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >CCD camera</td>
			<td >Watec</td>
			<td >Wat-221SCCD</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Optometer</td>
			<td >Gigahertz Optik</td>
			<td >P9710</td>
			<td>Measure light intensities</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Objective</td>
			<td >Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td>421462-9900-000</td>
			<td >W Plan-Apochromat 40X/1.0 DIC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Micromanipulator</td>
			<td >Scientifica</td>
			<td>PatchStar</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Recording chamber</td>
			<td >Custom made</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Power supply</td>
			<td >Manson</td>
			<td>HCS-3202</td>
			<td>Avoids electrical noise from microscope built-in power supply</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Vibration isolated table</td>
			<td >Newport</td>
			<td>M-VW-3636-OPT-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Faraday cage</td>
			<td >Custom made or any commercial matching table</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Hoses</td>
			<td >Any comercial; e.g. Roth</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Different sizes and materials for bath handling and application of pipette pressure; agar bridges</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Linear shaker</td>
			<td >Sunlab Instruments</td>
			<td>SU 1000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Liquid junction potential calculator</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices or directly from Peter H. Barry</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Program is included in the Clampex aquisition software or can be obtained from&#160; p.barry@unsw.edu.au</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Data acquisition software</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices</td>
			<td>Clampex 10.X</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Data evaluation software</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices</td>
			<td>Clampfit 10.X</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >PsACR1</td>
			<td>GenBank or Addgene</td>
			<td >KF992074.1 or Addgene plasmid #85465</td>
			<td>Gene encoding for PsACR1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr >
			<td >Amplifier guide</td>
			<td >Molecular Devices</td>
			<td>The Axon Guide</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

whole-cell patch-clamp recordings for electrophysiological determination of ion selectivity in channelrhodopsins

Over the past decade, channelrhodopsins became indispensable in neuroscientific research where they are used as tools to non-invasively manipulate electrical processes in target cells. In this context, ion selectivity of a channelrhodopsin is of particular importance. This article describes the investigation of chloride selectivity for a recently identified anion-conducting channelrhodopsin of Proteomonas sulcata via electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings on HEK293 cells. The experimental procedure for measuring light-gated photocurrents demands a fast switchable &#8211; ideally monochromatic &#8211; light source coupled into the microscope of an otherwise conventional patch-clamp setup. Preparative procedures prior to the experiment are outlined involving preparation of buffered solutions, considerations on liquid junction potentials, seeding and transfection of cells, and pulling of patch pipettes. The actual recording of current-voltage relations to determine the reversal potentials for different chloride concentrations takes place 24 h to 48 h after transfection. Finally, electrophysiological data are analyzed with respect to theoretical considerations of chloride conduction.

Figure 2 shows representative results obtained from measurements following the described protocol. During illumination with green light, PsACR1 features a fast transient current which rapidly decays to a stationary current level. After light is switched off, photocurrents decay to zero within milliseconds (Figure 2A). Exchanging the extracellular chloride concentration causes a shift of the reversal potential that can be directly seen in the acqu...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins at JoVE.com

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins

This article describes how the ion selectivity of channelrhodopsin is determined with electrophysiological whole-cell patch-clamp recordings using HEK293 cells. Here, the experimental procedure for investigating chloride selectivity of an anion-selective channelrhodopsin is demonstrated. However, the procedure is transferable to other channelrhodopsins of distinct selectivity.

Over the past decade, channelrhodopsins became indispensable in neuroscientific research where they are used as tools to non-invasively manipulate ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Patch Clamp Recordings in Inner Ear Hair Cells Isolated from Zebrafish

Patch  clamp analyses of the voltage-gated channels in sensory hair cells isolated  from a variety of species have been described previously1-4 but this  ...

Whole Cell Patch Clamp for Investigating the Mechanisms of Infrared Neural Stimulation

It has been  demonstrated in recent years that pulsed, infrared laser light can be used to  elicit electrical responses in neural tissue, independent of ...

Patch Clamp Recordings from Embryonic Zebrafish Mauthner Cells

Mauthner cells (M-cells) are large  reticulospinal neurons located in the hindbrain of teleost fish. They are key  neurons involved in a characteristic ...

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings from Morphologically- and Neurochemically-identified Hippocampal Interneurons

GABAergic inhibitory interneurons play a central role within neuronal circuits of the brain. Interneurons comprise a small subset of the neuronal ...

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

The combination of patch clamp recordings from two (or more) synaptically coupled neurons (paired recordings) in acute brain slice preparations with ...

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings in Brain Slices

Whole-cell patch-clamp recording is an electrophysiological technique that allows the study of the&#160;electrical properties of a substantial part of the ...

Electrophysiological Method for Whole-cell Voltage Clamp Recordings from Drosophila Photoreceptors

Electrophysiological Method for Whole-cell Voltage Clamp Recordings from Drosophila Photoreceptors

Whole-cell voltage clamp recordings from Drosophila melanogaster photoreceptors have revolutionized the field of invertebrate visual transduction, ...

Auditory Brainstem Response and Outer Hair Cell Whole-cell Patch Clamp Recording in Postnatal Rats

The outer hair cell is one of the two types of sensory hair cells in the mammalian cochlea. They alter their cell length with the receptor potential to ...

Preparations and Protocols for Whole Cell Patch Clamp Recording of Xenopus laevis Tectal Neurons

Preparations and Protocols for Whole Cell Patch Clamp Recording of Xenopus laevis Tectal Neurons

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Preparation of Acute Spinal Cord Slices for Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recording in Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons

Recent whole-cell patch-clamp studies from substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons have provided a large body of information about the spinal mechanisms ...