HulaChrimson: A Chrimson-like cation channelrhodopsin discovered using freshwater metatranscriptomics from Lake Hula.

ABSTRACT: Chrimson is cation-conducting channelrhodopsin (CCR) with the most red-shifted absorption spectrum, rendering itself as one of the most promising optogenetic tools. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its red-shifted absorption have not been completely clarified yet. Here, we found a CCR gene showing high sequence similarity to Chrimson from Lake Hula through freshwater metatranscriptome sampling. Interestingly, despite its high similarity to Chrimson, this CCR-named HulaChrimson-showed significantly blue-shifted action and absorption spectra compared to those of Chrimson. Mutations of amino acid residues, which are prominently different from those in Chrimson, in HulaChrimson did not reproduce the red-shifted absorption of Chrimson, suggesting the color-tuning between these prote

SUBMITTER: Takahashi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12399511 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature