Front Cover: Lamprey Parapinopsin (“UVLamP”): a Bistable UV‐Sensitive Optogenetic Switch for Ultrafast Control of GPCR Pathways (ChemBioChem 5/2020)

Abstract

Optogenetic control of G protein‐coupled receptor pathways: The Japanese lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum) parapinopsin (“UVLamP”) serves as a minimally invasive, narrow‐bandwidth, bistable, next‐generation optogenetic probe for controlling the Gi/o pathway. A millisecond UV light pulse allows for sustained pathway activation that can be switched off with a millisecond blue light pulse on demand. The first structural model of parapinopsin in the dark state reveals novel interaction partners shedding light on the mechanisms responsible for opsin bistability. More information can be found in the communication by D. Eickelbeck, K. Gerwert, S. Herlitze et al. on page 612 in Issue 5, 2020 (DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900485).