---
res:
  bibo_abstract:
  - A major challenge in neuroscience research is to dissect the circuits that orchestrate
    behavior in health and disease. Proteins from a wide range of non-mammalian species,
    such as microbial opsins, have been successfully transplanted to specific neuronal
    targets to override their natural communication patterns. The goal of our work
    is to manipulate synaptic communication in a manner that closely incorporates
    the functional intricacies of synapses by preserving temporal encoding (i.e. the
    firing pattern of the presynaptic neuron) and connectivity (i.e. target specific
    synapses rather than specific neurons). Our strategy to achieve this goal builds
    on the use of non-mammalian transplants to create a synthetic synapse. The mode
    of modulation comes from pre-synaptic uptake of a synthetic neurotransmitter (SN)
    into synaptic vesicles by means of a genetically targeted transporter selective
    for the SN. Upon natural vesicular release, exposure of the SN to the synaptic
    cleft will modify the post-synaptic potential through an orthogonal ligand gated
    ion channel. To achieve this goal we have functionally characterized a mixed cationic
    methionine-gated ion channel from Arabidopsis thaliana, designed a method to functionally
    characterize a synthetic transporter in isolated synaptic vesicles without the
    need for transgenic animals, identified and extracted multiple prokaryotic uptake
    systems that are substrate specific for methionine (Met), and established a primary/cell
    line co-culture system that would allow future combinatorial testing of this orthogonal
    transmitter-transporter-channel trifecta. Synthetic synapses will provide a unique
    opportunity to manipulate synaptic communication while maintaining the electrophysiological
    integrity of the pre-synaptic cell. In this way, information may be preserved
    that was generated in upstream circuits and that could be essential for concerted
    function and information processing. @eng
  bibo_authorlist:
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Catherine
      foaf_name: Mckenzie, Catherine
      foaf_surname: Mckenzie
      foaf_workInfoHomepage: http://www.librecat.org/personId=3EEDE19A-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  bibo_doi: 10.15479/at:ista:th_1055
  dct_date: 2018^xs_gYear
  dct_isPartOf:
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/2663-337X
  dct_language: eng
  dct_publisher: Institute of Science and Technology Austria@
  dct_title: Design and characterization of methods and biological components to realize
    synthetic neurotransmission @
...