Lighting up pre-synaptic potentiation An Editorial for SynaptoPAC, an optogenetic tool for induction of presynaptic plasticity on https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15210

This is an Editorial Highlight of a manuscript by Oldani et al. (2020) (Oldani et al. 2020) in the current issue of the Journal of Neurochemistry, in which the authors describe synaptoPAC, a new optogenetic tool. SynaptoPAC is targeted to pre-synaptic compartments and can be used for light-induced increase of the levels of cAMP. Pre-synaptic plasticity, defined as activity-dependent modulation of neurotransmitter release, occurs over a variety of time scales. At a subset of synapses in the brain, long-term forms of pre-synaptic facilitation depend on an increase in the levels of cAMP. Light-induced modulation of cAMP at synapses expressing cAMP-dependent facilitation, has the great potential to mimic pre-synaptic plasticity at genetically targeted synapses. Therefore, synaptoPAC constitutes a powerful tool to study the role of pre-synaptic potentiation in the activity of selected neuronal circuits in relation to behaving animals with a high temporal and spatial precision.

Automated summary

This editorial highlight discusses a new optogenetic tool called synaptoPAC, which can increase cAMP levels in pre-synaptic compartments using light. It is a powerful tool for studying pre-synaptic potentiation in selected neuronal circuits in relation to behaving animals.