Viral Vectors for Neural Circuit Mapping and Recent Advances in Trans-synaptic Anterograde Tracers

Xiangmin Xu; Todd C Holmes; Min-Hua Luo; Kevin T Beier; Gregory D Horwitz; Fei Zhao; Wenbo Zeng; May Hui; Bert L Semler; Rozanne M Sandri-Goldin

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.010

Viral Vectors for Neural Circuit Mapping and Recent Advances in Trans-synaptic Anterograde Tracers

Neuron. 2020 Sep 23;107(6):1029-1047. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.010. Epub 2020 Aug 4.

Authors

Xiangmin Xu¹, Todd C Holmes², Min-Hua Luo³, Kevin T Beier², Gregory D Horwitz⁴, Fei Zhao⁵, Wenbo Zeng⁶, May Hui⁷, Bert L Semler⁸, Rozanne M Sandri-Goldin⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-1275, USA; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4025, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2715, USA; The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. Electronic address: xiangmix@uci.edu.
² Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4560, USA; The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
³ State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China; The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
⁴ The Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
⁵ School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 102206, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research (CIBR), Beijing 102206, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
⁷ Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4560, USA.
⁸ Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4025, USA; The Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.

Abstract

Viral tracers are important tools for neuroanatomical mapping and genetic payload delivery. Genetically modified viruses allow for cell-type-specific targeting and overcome many limitations of non-viral tracers. Here, we summarize the viruses that have been developed for neural circuit mapping, and we provide a primer on currently applied anterograde and retrograde viral tracers with practical guidance on experimental uses. We also discuss and highlight key technical and conceptual considerations for developing new safer and more effective anterograde trans-synaptic viral vectors for neural circuit analysis in multiple species.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Connectome / methods*
Genetic Vectors / genetics
Genetic Vectors / metabolism
Humans
Neural Pathways / cytology
Neural Pathways / physiology
Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques / methods*
Synapses / metabolism
Synapses / physiology*
Viruses / genetics*
Viruses / metabolism

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding