This technology is a transgene that uses fluorescent proteins to generate a color map of every neuron in C. elegans without variability across individual organisms.
Fluorescent proteins are widely used to color-label different cell types in vivo when studying cellular architecture and function. Even in ideal model organisms such as the C. elegans nematode, neurons are challenging to label because they are densely packed and genetically diverse. Current single-neuron labeling methods generate random colors within each neuron, creating problematic variability across organisms. Efforts to develop an invariant color map have only labeled <60% of all C. elegans neurons due to a lack of spatial resolution.
This transgene, called NeuroPAL (a neuronal polychromatic atlas of landmarks), generates an invariant color map of the entire C. elegans nervous system using 41 neuron-specific reporter genes expressing up to five fluorescent proteins. In C. elegans strains transfected with NeuroPAL, each neuron can be identified in vivo by its color and position. The color map does not change across organisms and is compatible as a background for popular fluorescent proteins.
NeuroPAL’s utility has been demonstrated in several in vivo experiments, enabling improved analysis of gene expression patterns, mutant gene effects, and whole-brain neuronal activity.
Eviatar Yemini, Ph.D.
IR CU22024
Licensing Contact: Cynthia Lang