IP Library Granted Patent US 12,331,089
Granted Patent B2
US 12,331,089 · App. 17/668,766 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Channelrhodopsins for optical control of cells

Inventors: Nathan Klapoetke (Ashburn, VA); Brian Yichiun Chow (Cherry Hill, NJ); Edward Boyden (Chestnut Hill, MA); Gane Ka-Shu Wong (Edmonton, CA); Yongku Peter Cho (Vernon, CT)
Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; The Governors of the University of Alberta
C07K14/405A61K41/0023A61N5/062C12N13/00G01N33/48728G01N33/5041G01N33/5058A61K38/00A61N2005/0661A61N2005/0662
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,331,089
App. No.
17/668,766
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention, in some aspects relates to compositions and methods for altering cell activity and function and the introduction and use of light-activated ion channels.

Claims (15)

1. A method of producing spikes in a neuron, the method comprising:

a) introducing into a neuron a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence of a light-activated ion channel polypeptide, the amino acid sequence having at least 90% amino acid identity to amino acids 86-320 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 and at least 95% identity to the amino acids 321-350 as set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2, to generate a modified neuron that expresses the light-activated ion channel polypeptide; and

b) contacting the light-activated ion channel polypeptide in the modified neuron with a light wherein the contacting activates the light-activated ion channel polypeptide, alters the ion conductivity of the neuron membrane, and induces spikes in the modified neuron.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-activated ion channel polypeptide is Chrimson ChR88 and has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-activated ion channel polypeptide is ChR88 K176R and has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-activated ion channel polypeptide is part of a heterologous fusion protein.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neuron is a visual system cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a wavelength ranging from 365 nm to 700 nm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has a wavelength ranging from 530 nm to 640 nm.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the light has a wavelength of 590 nm +/−15 nm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has pulse widths ranging from 1 ms to 5 ms.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light has powers ranging from 0.1 mW/mm 2 to 100 mW/mm 2 .

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the light-activated ion channel polypeptide generates spikes from 1 to 10 mW mm −2 .

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid is a viral vector.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the viral vector is an adeno-associated virus.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2022
From: WONG, GANE KA-SHU
To: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Reel/Frame 059030/0515 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2022
From: KLAPOETKE, NATHAN; CHOW, BRIAN YICHIUN; BOYDEN, EDWARD; CHO, YONGKU PETER
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 059030/0550 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16885457 · May 28, 2020
Division 16570429 · Sep 13, 2019
Continuation 14357635
Provisional Application 61559076 · Nov 12, 2011
Related Publication 20220169684A1 · Jun 2, 2022
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