Electrophysiological Characterization of Channelrhodopsins

The channelrhodopsins ChR1 and ChR2 of the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhartii are rhodopsins with intrinsic conductance for protons and cations. These light-gated ion channels are widely used in neuroscience for triggering action potential in neuronal cells, tissues and living animals simply by light. During the recent years we studied the ion specificity and kinetics of both proteins. Within the new project we will focus on the molecular basis of the conducting mechanism of this new class of ion channels using wild type and mutants that are expressed in Xenopus oocytes, HEK293 and SF21 cell. The recently discovered ChR-variants of the colonial alga Volvox carteri (VChR1 and VChR2) will be included in these studies.