AAV with CamKII promoter driven eMac3.0-Venus

This AAV expresses eMac3.0-Venus driven by a neuron CamKII promoter.

This 1.3 Kb promoter is derived from the murine α-Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), a gene with expression restricted to excitatory neurons in the neocortex and hippocampus. In cortical neurons, it was shown that the promoter activity of CaMKII(1.3) is about double that of CaMKII(2.4), probably due to some inhibitory element(s).

Mac is a light-activated proton pump from a species of fungus. Its peak activation is at 540 nm. It provides neuronal silencing under blue-green light, enabling two different cell populations to be silenced when used in combination with another silencing protein.

The trafficking signal (KSRITSEGEYIPLDQIDINV) is also from the inward rectifier potassium channel Kir2.1; it serves to dramatically reduce intracellular accumulation and improve membrane targeting, leading to a profound increase of photocurrents. This is the basis for many third-generation optogenetics tools.

This ER export motif (FCYENEV) is from the vertebrate inward rectifier potassium channel Kir2.1. The motif prevents aggregate formation, decreases intracellular accumulations, and enhances tolerability at high expression levels. This is the strategy for developing many second-generation optogenetics tools.