ArticleeNeuro2026
uniSynK: A Ratio-Optimized Bicistronic Chemically Induced Dimerization Tool for Robust Induction of Dendritic Spine Enlargement.
Article in eNeuro, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Synaptic plasticity is widely implicated in learning and brain-state regulation. Although correlations between synaptic modifications and diverse brain functions have been extensively reported, establishing causality requires tools that can directly and selectively perturb synapses in vivo. Recently, the chemogenetic actuator SYNCit-K (SynK) enabled causal induction of dendritic spine enlargement and synaptic potentiation. However, SynK relies on the coexpression of two independent components delivered by separate viral vectors, making it difficult to reliably achieve appropriate expression levels of both components within the same neuron. Here, using neocortical dissociated cultures from mouse embryos of undetermined sex, we sought to develop a unified, single-vector version of SynK (uniSynK) that enables robust and safe induction of dendritic spine enlargement. We first found that each SynK component induces distinct, concentration-dependent abnormalities in neuronal morphology when overexpressed, underscoring the need for precise control of their expression ratio. To address this challenge, we engineered a single construct in which the two components are linked by internal ribosome entry site (IRES) variants with graded translational efficiencies. Systematic screening of IRES variants identified an optimized configuration that preferentially drives each component within its respective concentration range that preserves normal spine morphology. The optimized uniSynK efficiently induces dendritic spine enlargement while exhibiting fewer off-target morphological abnormalities than observed in the multivector system when expression levels were not properly controlled. By simplifying experimental design, this single-vector, ratio-optimized synaptic chemogenetic tool provides a practical and broadly applicable platform that should facilitate causal interrogation of synaptic plasticity across neural circuits and behavior.
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