Optogenetic restoration of high-sensitivity vision using ChRmine- and ChroME-based channelrhodopsins.

ABSTRACT: Optogenetic gene therapy is a promising mutation-independent treatment that aims to restore visual perception in patients blinded by retinal diseases that cause photoreceptor degeneration. Still, low sensitivity or slow kinetics of currently utilized optogenetic proteins limit the efficacy of such approaches. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of three channelrhodopsin variants: ChRmine, from the algae Rhodomonas lens, ChRmine-T119A, a faster-closing ChRmine variant, and ChroME2s, a second-generation Chronos-based opsin.We expressed these opsins in retinal ganglion cells of rd1 mice, a model of severe retinal degeneration. Single cell electrophysiology demonstrates opsin's large sensitivity to a range of light intensities as well as opsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells generat

SUBMITTER: Fong VC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12217448 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature