A Dead Sea Microbe's Fluorescent Protein Sheds Light on Brain Activity
Hippocampal neuron (63X) Courtesy Nikon Small World Photo Micrography Competition: Photographed by Dr. Carlo Sala A fluorescent protein derived from a Dead Sea microbe could be a novel way to track electrical signals in the brain, researchers say. It's noninvasive and nontoxic, so it could enable neuron tracking without harming the neurons. Neurons communicate via chemical and electrical signals, and monitoring these channels could help neuroscientists understand brain function and degenerative diseases. But tracking electrical impulses is tricky. Molecular tags can be slow and even toxic to cells, which must be exposed to light for the fluorescence to work. And piercing a neuron with an electrode will damage and kill them. But a new fluorescent protein appears to track these synaptic action potentials without toxic side effects. It is derived from the Dead Sea bacteria Halorubrum sodomense. The protein was previously used to dampen overly active neurons, but in a new study,...