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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

When proteins stand on their heads for science

Bioengineered molecules promise to bolster optogenetics, a widely used approach for studying neurons.
Mouse brain with doctored neurons

A 3D reconstruction shows a slice of a mouse’s brain (purple), including neurons (pink) doctored with a new variety of light-sensitive protein. Credit: Junchol Park/Joshua Dudman

Flipping light-sensitive proteins upside down in cell membranes has expanded the utility of a popular technique for studying the brain.

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Nature 562, 462 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07102-9

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