Chemogenetic Tools

Chemogenetics, also known as pharmacogenetics, is a successful strategy for activating or inhibiting biological processes in specific cell types. Chemogenetic tools can be turned on or off by using small-molecule ligands to target the actuators of particular cell groups, most notably neurons. Creative Biolabs offers a wide range of viral tools based on designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) technology, including Gq, Gi, Gs, Golf, etc. The most widely used ones are Gq-DREADD (hM3Dq) and Gi-DREADD (hM4Di). hM3Dq is often used to activate neurons, while hM4Di is often used to inhibit neuronal activity.

Chemogenetic Receptors

Receptors	Description
Gq-DREADD (hM3Dq)	The human muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3 was altered to create hM3Dq, a receptor that is no longer triggered by acetylcholine and only reacts to CNO (clozapine-N-oxide). The results of CNO-inducing hM3Dq are different in different cell types. In mature neurons, CNO induction of hM3Dq results in neuronal depolarization and increased neuronal excitability. In astrocytes, CNO induction of hM3Dq results in increased astrocytic Ca²⁺ release.
Gi-DREADD (hM4Di)	The human muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M4 is the source of the designed receptor hM4Di, which is no longer activated by acetylcholine and only reacts to CNO. The role of hM4D is altered in cells that do not express Gi or GIRK. Certain neurons experience hyperpolarization of the cell membrane and inhibition of the action potential of neuronal cells when CNO binds to hM4D and activates the Gi protein-coupled inward potassium ion channel GIRK.
KORD	KORD overcomes the limitation of DREADDs, which cannot perform bidirectional experiments, by responding to salvinorin B (SALB). Both KORD and hM3Dq can be used in the same organism to achieve bidirectional control of neuronal activity.

Please browse through our premade viruses list of chemogenetic to find the right chemogenetic tools for your experiment..

Advantages of DREADDs

Simple steps and ease of use
Prolonged neuronal activation or inhibition
In drug development, DREADDs offer many opportunities

Creative Biolabs can provide packaging services. If the Adeno-Associated Viruses (AAV) you are searching for is not listed, please contact us right away. We can design and package AAV vectors to suit your individual research requirements.

Intellectual Property

Creative Biolabs is a contract manufacturer that produces tailored viruses and vectors according to client specifications. Importantly, this manufacturing service does not grant Creative Biolabs any intellectual property ownership; all designs and associated intellectual property rights remain exclusively with the customer.

Certain vector components may be subject to third-party intellectual property rights. Creative Biolabs offers publicly available sequence information for these components as a convenience for reference only. The customer assumes full responsibility and liability for the use of these components in their custom vectors. By purchasing vectors containing such components, the customer confirms they have secured all necessary intellectual property licenses, including the right to engage Creative Biolabs for manufacturing.

For Research Use Only. Not For Clinical Use.