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Freeze-frame imaging of synaptic activity using SynTagMA

Author

Listed:
  • Alberto Perez-Alvarez

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Brenna C. Fearey

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Ryan J. O’Toole

    (Dartmouth College)

  • Wei Yang

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Ignacio Arganda-Carreras

    (Basque Foundation for Science
    Basque Country University
    Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC))

  • Paul J. Lamothe-Molina

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Benjamien Moeyaert

    (Janelia Farm Research Campus)

  • Manuel A. Mohr

    (Janelia Farm Research Campus)

  • Lauren C. Panzera

    (Dartmouth College)

  • Christian Schulze

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Eric R. Schreiter

    (Janelia Farm Research Campus)

  • J. Simon Wiegert

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Christine E. Gee

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Michael B. Hoppa

    (Dartmouth College)

  • Thomas G. Oertner

    (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

Abstract

Information within the brain travels from neuron to neuron across billions of synapses. At any given moment, only a small subset of neurons and synapses are active, but finding the active synapses in brain tissue has been a technical challenge. Here we introduce SynTagMA to tag active synapses in a user-defined time window. Upon 395–405 nm illumination, this genetically encoded marker of activity converts from green to red fluorescence if, and only if, it is bound to calcium. Targeted to presynaptic terminals, preSynTagMA allows discrimination between active and silent axons. Targeted to excitatory postsynapses, postSynTagMA creates a snapshot of synapses active just before photoconversion. To analyze large datasets, we show how to identify and track the fluorescence of thousands of individual synapses in an automated fashion. Together, these tools provide an efficient method for repeatedly mapping active neurons and synapses in cell culture, slice preparations, and in vivo during behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Alberto Perez-Alvarez & Brenna C. Fearey & Ryan J. O’Toole & Wei Yang & Ignacio Arganda-Carreras & Paul J. Lamothe-Molina & Benjamien Moeyaert & Manuel A. Mohr & Lauren C. Panzera & Christian Schulze , 2020. "Freeze-frame imaging of synaptic activity using SynTagMA," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16315-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16315-4
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