Research Training Group
Monoaminergic Neuronal Networks & Disease (MoNN&Di)

Welcome Gathering
- Sep 14, 2023

GBM Study Group Meeting
Molecular Neurobiology

28.-30. Sep. 2022
Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Prof Dr Andreas Reiner

Prof. Dr. Andreas Reiner
Chair of Cellular Neurobiology
Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology

Research Department of Neuroscience

International Graduate School of Neuroscience (IGSN)

DFG Research Unit

We gratefully acknowledge support from the
Ministerium für Innovation, Wissenschaft und Forschung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen

Optical Control and Probing of Synaptic Signaling Proteins

We use novel, optical approaches to study membrane proteins, in particular to understand how protein complexes assemble and transmit signals across cell membranes.

Our main focus is on glutamate receptor signaling. Glutamate receptors (GluRs) play a key role in the central nervous system, where they pass excitatory signals across synapses and modulate synaptic strength and plasticity.

We combine biochemical methods, spectroscopic techniques, live cell imaging and electrophysiology to gain further insight into GluR function and physiology. As part of our toolset we use chemical photoswitches to manipulate GluRs with light – a method that allows for the precise control of specific receptor complexes with high spatial and temporal precision. At the same time, the engineering of photo-controllable ion channels and GPCRs provides a powerful tool for optogenetic and pharmacological studies.


Selected Publications:

Sensitive multicolor indicators for monitoring norepinephrine in vivo.
Kagiampaki Z., Rohner V., Kiss C., Curreli S., Dieter A., Wilhelm M., Harada M., Duss S.N., Dernic J., Bhat M.A., Zhou X., Ravotto L., Ziebarth T., Moreno Wasielewski L., Sönmez L., Benke D., Weber B., Bohacek J., Reiner A., Wiegert J.S., Fellin T. & Patriarchi T. Nat. Meth. (2023): in press.

Splicing and editing of ionotropic glutamate receptors: a comprehensive analysis based on human RNA-Seq data.
Herbrechter R., Hube N., Buchholz R. & Reiner A. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 78 (2021): 5605-5630.

Structural and compositional diversity in the kainate receptor family.
Selvakumar P., Lee J., Khanra N., He C., Munguba H., Kiese L., Broichhagen J., Reiner A., Levitz J. & Meyerson J.R. Cell Rep. 37 (2021): 109891.

Subunit-selective iGluR antagonists can potentiate heteromeric receptor responses by blocking desensitization.
Pollok S. & Reiner A. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 117 (2020): 25851-25858.

Quinoxalinedione deprotonation is important for glutamate receptor binding.
Dudić A. & Reiner A. Biol. Chem. 400 (2019): 927-938.

Glutamatergic signaling in the central nervous system: Ionotropic and metabotropic receptors in concert.
Reiner A.# & Levitz J.#. Neuron 98 (2018): 1080-1098.