Topic: photoactivatable adenylyl cyclases

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that, when raised by forskolin, induces long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission and expression of immediate early genes such as FOS by activating the postsynaptic PKA-CREB pathway. However, most studies have relied on pharmacological tools whose actions are not confined to specific cells or synaptic compartments. Here, we use photoactivatable adenylyl cyclases to raise cAMP in single postsynaptic hippocampal CA1 neurons, in many presynaptic CA3 or postsynaptic CA1 neurons or in all excitatory neurons to invest