A Brainbow with wrist-watch

A series of trans-synaptic pseudorabies viruses (PRVs) encoding fluorescent sensors and time-shifted fluorescent proteins like memCherry, memGFP and memCerulean, were recently proposed to trace several circuits in parallel in order to gain a dissection of the complex architecture of brain regions. The work by Zsolt Boldogkoi and colleagues from Szeged University (Hungary) has been published on the February issue of Nature Methods.



Zsolt Boldogkői, Kamill Balint, Gautam B Awatramani, David Balya, Volker Busskamp, Tim James Viney, Pamela S Lagali, Jens Duebel, Emese Pásti, Dóra Tombácz, Judit S Tóth, Irma F Takács, Brigitte Gross Scherf, Botond Roska (2009). Genetically timed, activity-sensor and rainbow transsynaptic viral tools Nature Methods, 6 (2), 127-130 DOI: 10.1038/NMETH.1292

Other posts about genetically encoded time sensors, here and here.