Discovery of long-sought light-gated potassium channels: natural kalium channel-rhodopsins

We report light-gated channels in a fungus-like protist that are highly selective for K+ over Na+. These microbial rhodopsin channels, named kalium channelrhodopsins, enable robust

inhibition of mouse cortical neurons with millisecond precision. In addition, kalium channelrhodopsins reveal a previously unknown potassium selectivity mechanism. Access through your

institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio

journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Learn more Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $209.00 per

year only $17.42 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated

during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support REFERENCES * Deisseroth, K. Optogenetics: 10 years of

microbial opsins in neuroscience. _Nat. Neurosci._ 18, 1213–1225 (2015). A REVIEW ARTICLE THAT SUMMARIZES PROGRESS IN MICROBIAL RHODOPSIN-BASED OPTOGENETICS. Article  CAS  Google Scholar  *

Govorunova, E. G. et al. Microbial Rhodopsins: Diversity, Mechanisms, and Optogenetic Applications. _Annu. Rev. Biochem._ 86, 845–872 (2017). A REVIEW ARTICLE THAT DESCRIBES MICROBIAL

RHODOPSINS. Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Govorunova, E. G. et al. Natural light-gated anion channels: a family of microbial rhodopsins for advanced optogenetics. _Science_ 349, 647–650

(2015). THIS PAPER REPORTS THE DISCOVERY OF NATURAL ANION CHANNELRHODOPSINS. Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Wiegert, J. S. et al. Silencing neurons: tools, applications, and experimental

constraints. _Neuron_ 95, 504–529 (2017). A REVIEW ARTICLE THAT DESCRIBES OPTOGENETIC SILENCING TOOLS. Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Mironenko, A. et al. The persistent question of

potassium channel permeation mechanisms. _J. Mol. Biol._ 433, 167002 (2021). A REVIEW ARTICLE THAT DISCUSSES K + SELECTIVITY IN OLIGOMERIC K + CHANNELS. Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUBLISHER’S NOTE Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. THIS IS A

SUMMARY OF: Govorunova, E. G. et al. Kalium channelrhodopsins are natural light-gated potassium channels that mediate optogenetic inhibition. _Nat. Neurosci_.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-022-01094-6 (2022). RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Discovery of long-sought light-gated potassium

channels: natural kalium channel-rhodopsins. _Nat Neurosci_ 25, 847–848 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-022-01096-4 Download citation * Published: 23 June 2022 * Issue Date: July 2022

* DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-022-01096-4 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link

is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative