Switchable rhodOpsins in Life sciences (SOL)

Bistable rhodopsins are naturally photosensitive G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) responsible for photosensitivity and vision in animals. Bistable rhodopsins are also a potential source of strong optogenetic tools allowing bidirectional control of influential intracellular signalling cascades in all light-using body systems. However, knowledge of their biology and their engineering for optogenetic scopes is restricted due to limited understanding of their structure–function relationships. The EU-funded SOL project will investigate how structural characteristics of these influential photoreceptors determine their bistability, bichromicity, kinetics and G-protein selectivity. The project will apply this knowledge for rational engineering towards colour tuning and G-protein selectivity for optogenetic tools and investigate physiological functions. SOL will produce pioneering optogenetic techniques allowing for definition of GPCR signalling activities.