44 results about "Channelrhodopsin" patented technology

Nucleic acid vectors encoding light-gated cation-selective membrane channels, in particular channelrhodopsin-2 (Chop2), converted inner retinal neurons to photosensitive cells in photoreceptor-degenerated retina in an animal model. Such treatment restored visual perception and various aspects of vision. A method of restoring light sensitivity to a retina of a subject suffering from vision loss due to photoreceptor degeneration, as in retinitis pigmentosa or macular degeneration, is provided. The method comprises delivering to the subject by intravitreal or subretinal injection, the above nucleic acid vector which comprises an open reading frame encoding a rhodopsin, to which is operatively linked a promoter and transcriptional regulatory sequences, so that the nucleic acid is expressed in inner retinal neurons. These cells, normally light-insensitive, are converted to a light-sensitive state and transmit visual information to the brain, compensating for the loss, and leading to restoration of various visual capabilities.

The invention provides a transgene construct, containing a nucleic acid encoding a photoreceptor specific regulatory sequence, a membrane-associated polypeptide, and a photoreceptor outer segment targeting signal. For example, the invention pro-vides a transgene construct, containing a nucleic acid encoding a rhodopsin promoter, a membrane-associated polypeptide, and a rod outer segment (ROS) targeting signal. In addition, the invention provides a gene targeting construct containing a transgene encoding a polypeptide that contains a rod outer segment (ROS) targeting signal. The transgene is flanked by 5′ and 3′ DNA sequences that are homologous to the rhodopsin gene. Homologous recombination between the construct and a rhodopsin gene results in operable association between the transgene and a rod-specific regulatory sequence. The invention also provides cells and animals whose genome contain a functional disruption of one or both endogenous rhodopsin gene alleles, and a transgene encoding a polypeptide that contains a ROS targeting signal operably associated with a rod-specific regulatory sequence. The invention constructs, cell and animals can be used to isolate transgenic polypeptides from the ROS membrane.

Microbial type rhodopsins, such as the light-gated cation-selective membrane channel, channel-rhodopsin-2 (Chop2 / ChR2) or the ion pump halorhodopsin (HaloR) are expressed in retinal ganglion cells upon transduction using recombinant AAV vectors. Selective targeting of these transgenes for expression in discrete subcellular regions or sites is achieved by including a sorting motif in the vector that can target either the central area or surround (off-center) area of these cells. Nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding such rhodopsins and sorting motifs and their use in methods of differential expression of the transgene are disclosed. These compositions and methods provide significant improvements for restoring visual perception and various aspects of vision, particular in patients with retinal disease.

The invention provides engineered red-shifted channelrhodopsin variants. In some embodiments, the channelrhodopsin variants are characterized by improved membrane trafficking, expression, and / or unique spectral and kinetic properties.

The present disclosure provides neuromodulators, nucleic acid encoding thereof, and compositions thereof for endowing visual processing abilities to neuronal cells. The present disclosure further provides a method of restoring light sensitivity to degenerate retinas.

Methods and agents for suppressing expression of a mutant allele of a gene and providing a replacement nucleic acid are provided. The methods of the invention provide suppression effectors such as, for example, antisense nucleic acids, ribozymes, or RNAi, that bind to the gene or its RNA. The invention further provides for the introduction of a replacement nucleic acid with modified sequences such that the replacement nucleic acid is protected from suppression by the suppression effector. The replacement nucleic acid is modified at degenerate wobble positions in the target region of the suppression effector and thereby is not suppressed by the suppression effector. In addition, by altering wobble positions, the replacement nucleic acid can still encode a wild type gene product. The invention has the advantage that the same suppression strategy could be used to suppress, in principle, many mutations in a gene. Also disclosed is a transgenic mouse that expresses human rhodopsin (modified replacement gene) and a transgenic mouse that expresses a suppression effector targeting rhodopsin. Also disclosed in intraocular administration of siRNA.

The invention, in some aspects, relates to compositions and methods for altering cell activity and function. The invention also relates, in part, to the use of light-activated ion pumps (LAIPs) such as a light-activated ion pump polypeptide that when expressed in an excitable cell and contacted with a red light silences the excitable cell, wherein the polypeptide sequence of the light-activated ion pump comprises a wild-type or modified halomicrobium or haloarcula halorhodopsin polypeptide sequence.

The DNA probes produced by molecular cloning and the characterization of specific gene region sequences is provided, these can be used as genetic markers for the genes such as Cytochrome b (cyt b); Mitochondrial control region (D-Loop); Inter Transcribed Spacers (ITS2) and Rhodopsin (ROD), 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA in mesopelagic lantern fishes which are found in the mesopelagic zones of the oceans where the photic regime is of dim light and associate themselves with the oxygen minimum layer, it also includes the recombinant DNA techniques for the preparation of specific gene probes and sequences of species specific primers of lantern fishes, novel gene probes and novel oligonucleotides for amplification of myctophid genes are disclosed.

The invention relates to mutant channelrhodopsins having improved properties, nucleic acid constructs encoding same, expression vectors carrying the nucleic acid construct, cells comprising said nucleic acid construct or expression vector, and their respective uses.

The invention provides compositions and kits including at least one nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule encoding for a mutant ChR2 protein. Methods of the invention include administering a composition comprising a mutant ChR2 to a subject to preserve, improve, or restore phototransduction. Preferably, the compositions and methods of the invention are provided to a subject having impaired vision, thereby restoring vision to normal levels.

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.

The invention provides compositions and kits including at least one nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule encoding for a mutant ChR2 protein. Methods of the invention include administering a composition comprising a mutant ChR2 to a subject to preserve, improve, or restore phototransduction. Preferably, the compositions and methods of the invention are provided to a subject having impaired vision, thereby restoring vision to normal levels.