Reveal the molecular mechanism of light-activated brain neuron expression!

February 28, 2021 // - Recently, an article was published in the international magazine Scientific Reports entitled Competition between cyclization and unusual Norrish type I and type II nitro-acyl migration pathways in the photouncaging of 1-acyl-7- In the research report "nitroindoline revealed by computations", scientists from Florida University of Technology and other institutions have revealed how light activates brain neurons.

The research progress that combines the application of chemistry to neurobiological technology has allowed scientists to use light as an exciter to activate the expression of specific neurons by activating selected synapses; and can effectively restrain such as glutamate ( The chemical groups of active molecules, such as key molecules for learning and memory, can help control nerve signals by turning them off; on-demand targeted light can release the active molecules that turn on neurons, so that they can be turned on.

jpg">

Image source: Florida Institute of Technology

Now, researchers have been able to carry out precise calculations and reveal in detail how the breaking of bonds releases active molecules; this is very valuable for the future design of other molecules that regulate brain signals, and this kind of chemical bond is induced by light.

Researcher Peverati added that our method and related software have the ability to reliably predict the energy of molecules participating in this pathway by simulating the behavior of each electron contained in it; the program we have developed can help us clarify the A mechanism that has caused a lot of controversy in the professional literature; and the predictions obtained from the software are consistent with the experimental results conducted by Dr.

The researchers pointed out that in recent years, light has been used as a powerful tool in neuroscience research, and they have noticed that there is an unusual way to combine two well-known photochemical processes, which has never been before.

Reference materials:

[1] Morgante, P.