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Channelrhodopsin engineering and exploration of new optogenetic tools

Rhodopsins from microalgae and eubacteria are powerful tools for manipulating the function of neurons and other cells, but these tools still have limitations. We discuss engineering approaches that can help advance optogenetics.

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Figure 1: A simplified kinetic model of channelrhodopsin function.
Figure 2: Structural model of a channelrhodopsin.

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Correspondence to Peter Hegemann.

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Hegemann, P., Möglich, A. Channelrhodopsin engineering and exploration of new optogenetic tools. Nat Methods 8, 39–42 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.f.327

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