jRCaMP1 - Improved Red Protein Indicators for In Vivo Calcium Imaging

Calcium Indicators

Optical imaging of calcium dynamics using genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) is a powerful tool for systems neuroscience. The current state-of-the-art GECIs emit green light (green GECIs) and are derived from Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). Still, green fluorescence fails in several important experimental setups where tissue absorption is of concern, creating a need for red indicators.

Red GECIs may be used for:

Deep tissue imaging
Dual-color imaging
Parallel use with light-sensitive ion channel (ChR2)

Joint efforts at Janelia have generated high-sensitivity red GECIs based on RCaMP and R-GECO for in vivo imaging of neural activity. New mRuby-based RCaMP (jRCaMP1), available below, and mApple-based R-GECO (jRGECO1 information page; jRGECO1 tool page) variants have improved sensitivity and kinetics. The sensitivity of jRGECO1a in vivo was similar to state-of-the-art GFP-based GCaMP6. The performance of both reagents has been characterized in cultured neurons and in mice, Drosophila, zebrafish, and C. elegans in vivo. These reagents are available and distributed through Addgene.org as plasmids, Penn Vector Core as viral vectors, and in flies from the Bloomington Stock Center.

Patent Status:

Issued U.S. Patents 9,644,007 and 10,053,492

Opportunity

Available from Addgene for non-profit research. Available for sale from Vigene Biosciences. Commercial licenses are also available.

For inquiries, please reference:

Janelia 2015-026

jRCaMP1 calcium indicators

Plasmids available from Addgene.org:

Name	Description	Addgene Plasmid ID	Reference
CMV-NES-jRCaMP1a	red, improved SNR, slower kinetics, bright	61562	Dana et al., 2016
CMV-NES-jRCaMP1b	red, improved SNR, improved dynamic range, bright	63136	Dana et al., 2016

Viruses available from Addgene

Name	Addgene virus	Reference
AAV1.Syn.NES.jRCaMP1a.WPRE.SV40	AAV1 AAV9	Dana et al., 2016
AAV1.CAG.Flex.NES.jRCaMP1a.WPRE.SV40	AAV1	Dana et al., 2016
AAV1.Syn.Flex.NES.jRCaMP1a.WPRE.SV40	AAV1 AAVrg	Dana et al., 2016
AAV1.Syn.NES.jRCaMP1b.WPRE.SV40	AAV1 AAV9	Dana et al., 2016
AAV1.CAG.Flex.NES.jRCaMP1b.WPRE.SV40	AAV1	Dana et al., 2016
AAV1.Syn.Flex.NES.jRCaMP1b.WPRE.SV40	AAV1	Dana et al., 2016