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Addgene

Chemogenetics Plasmid Collection

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Background

Chemogenetics plasmids encode genetically engineered receptors that are activated by specific small molecules, allowing a scientist to control signaling within cells expressing these engineered receptors. Chemogenetic receptors are popular in neuroscience, where they can be used to interrogate brain function and examine the relationship between neuronal signaling and behavior. Depending on the signalling pathway the engineered receptor is coupled to and the specific cell type where the receptor is expressed, these receptors can be used to artificially activate or inhibit specific biological processes.

Schematic showing chemogenetic experiement workflow, starting with a plasmid, introducing the plasmid into the desired system, and then looking for a phenotypic output in response to a corresponding ligand


Addgene’s collection contains two main classes of chemogenetic receptors: Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) and Pharmacologically Selective Actuator Modules (PSAMs). DREADDs are the most widely used chemogenetic receptors and are G-coupled protein receptors that have been engineered to respond to specific physiologically inert small molecules. There are four types DREADDs in Addgene’s collection: hMD3 (Gq), rMD3 (Gs), hMD4 (Gi) and KORD. hMD3(Gq), rMD3(Gs), and hMD4(Gi) are all based on muscarinic receptors and couple to the Gi, Gq, or Gs G-proteins, respectively. KORD is derived from the κ-opoid receptor and couples to the Gi G-protein. hMD3(Gq) and rMD3(Gs) are activating, while hMD4(Gi) and KORD are inhibitory.

PSAMs are engineered α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) domains that respond specifically to small molecules termed Pharmacologically Selective Effector Molecules (PSEMs). PSAMs are coupled to an ion pore domain to create a ligand-gated ion channel. Whether a PSAM is activating or inhibitory depends on the ion pore domain it is coupled to. Addgene has two main types of PSAMs: 5HT3 coupled, which are activating, and Gly-coupled, which are inhibitory.

Use the table below to find the best DREADD or PSAM for your experiment. For a more complete description about chemogenetic receptors, ligands used for chemogenetic studies, and how to use these tools in your experiments, please see our Chemogenetics Guide.

Chemogenetic Plasmids

This table contains Addgene's collection of chemogenetic plasmids plasmids. The table can be searched, sorted, or filtered by receptor type, plasmid type, promoter, reporter or fusion protein, and whether the plasmid is Cre- or Flp- dependent. We also offer ready-to-use AAV preparations of select chemogenetic plasmids; these are noted with the viral service icon .

Receptor

  • Activating
  • Inhibitory

Promoter

Reporter/Fusion

Recombinase

    • Plasmid type


ID Plasmid Receptor Promoter Reporter/Fusion Cre-dependent? PI
50476 pAAV-CaMKIIa-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry hM3D (Gq) CaMKIIa mCherry No Roth
50477 pAAV-CaMKIIa-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry hM4D (Gi) CaMKIIa mCherry No Roth
65418 pAAV-CaMKIIa-HA-KORD-IRES-mCitrine KORD CaMKIIa IRES-mCitrine No Roth
44361 pAAV-hSyn-DIO-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry hM3D (Gq) Syn mCherry Yes Roth
44362 pAAV-hSyn-DIO-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry hM4D (Gi) Syn mCherry Yes Roth
50458 pAAV-hSyn-DIO-rM3D(Gs)-mCherry rM3D (Gs) Syn mCherry Yes Roth
50474 pAAV-hSyn-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry hM3D (Gq) Syn mCherry No Roth
50475 pAAV-hSyn-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry hM4D (Gi) Syn mCherry No Roth
65417 pAAV-hSyn-dF-HA-KORD-IRES-mCitrine KORD Syn IRES-mCitrine Yes Roth
50478 pAAV-GFAP-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry hM3D (Gq) GFAP mCherry No Roth
50479 pAAV-GFAP-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry hM4D (Gi) GFAP mCherry No Roth
75033 pAAV CD68-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry hM4D (Gi) CD68 mCherry No Roth
50454 pAAV-hSyn-DIO-HA-hM3D(Gq)-IRES-mCitrine hM3D (Gq) Syn IRES-mCitrine Yes Roth
50455 pAAV-hSyn-DIO-HA-hM4D(Gi)-IRES-mCitrine hM4D (Gi) Syn IRES-mCitrine Yes Roth
50456 pAAV-hSyn-DIO-HA-rM3D(Gs)-IRES-mCitrine rM3D (Gs) Syn IRES-mCitrine Yes Roth
50460 pAAV-EF1a-DIO-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry hM3D (Gq) EF1a mCherry Yes Roth
183532 pAAV-nEF Con/Fon DREADD Gq-mCherry hM3D (Gq) EF1a mCherry Cre AND Flp Deisseroth
50461 pAAV-EF1a-DIO-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry hM4D (Gi) EF1a mCherry Yes Roth
169415 pAAV-6xTRE-FLEX-hM4Di.mCherry hM4D (Gi) Tet-inducible mCherry Yes Talmage
177672 pAAV-nEF-Con/Fon DREADD Gi-mCherry hM4D (Gi) EF1a mCherry Cre AND Flp Deisseroth
50463 pAAV-hSyn-HA-hM3D(Gq)-IRES-mCitrine hM3D (Gq) Syn IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50464 pAAV-hSyn-HA-hM4D(Gi)-IRES-mCitrine hM4D (Gi) Syn IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50466 pAAV-CaMKIIa-HA-hM3D(Gq)-IRES-mCitrine hM3D (Gq) CaMKIIa IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50467 pAAV-CaMKIIa-HA-hM4D(Gi)-IRES-mCitrine hM4D (Gi) CaMKIIa IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50468 pAAV-CaMKIIa-HA-rM3D(Gs)-IRES-mCitrine rM3D (Gs) CaMKIIa IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50470 pAAV-GFAP-HA-hM3D(Gq)-IRES-mCitrine hM3D (Gq) GFAP IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50471 pAAV-GFAP-HA-hM4D(Gi)-IRES-mCitrine hM4D (Gi) GFAP IRES-mCitrine No Roth
50472 pAAV-GFAP-HA-rM3D(Gs)-IRES-mCitrine rM3D (Gs) GFAP IRES-mCitrine No Roth
45547 pcDNA5/FRT-HA-hM3D(Gq) hM3D (Gq) CMV No Roth
45548 pcDNA5/FRT-HA-hM4D(Gi) hM4D (Gi) CMV No Roth
45549 pcDNA5/FRT-HA-rM3D(Gs) rM3D (Gs) CMV No Roth
70717 AAV-mOXT-hM3Dq-mCherry-WPRE hM3D (Gq) Mouse Oxycotin mCherry No Geschwind
66795 pAAV-PTRE-tight-hM3Dq-mCherry hM3D (Gq) Tet-inducible mCherry No Wisden
81008 pAAV-CBA-DIO-hM4Di-mCherry hM4D (Gi) CBA mCherry Yes Sabatini
135635 pAAV-S5E2-Gq-P2A-dTomato hM3D (Gq) E2 Enhancer tdTomato No Dimidschstein
111397 pAAV-hSyn-DIO {hCAR}off-{hM4Di-mCherry}on-W3SL hM4D (Gi) Syn mCherry Yes Kepecs
92285 pZac2.1 GfaABC1D rM3D mCherry SV40 rM3D (Gs) GfaABC1D mCherry No Khakh
92284 pZac2.1 GfaABC1D hM3D mCherry SV40 hM3D (Gq) GfaABC1D mCherry No Khakh
92286 pZac2.1 GfaABC1D hM4D mCherry SV40 hM4D (Gi) GfaABC1D mCherry No Khakh
125146 pOTTC1740 - pAAV SYN1 DIO HA-hM4D(Gi) hM4D (Gi) Syn Yes Richie
125147 pOTTC1761 - pAAV SYN1 DIO HA-hM3D(Gq) hM3D (Gq) Syn Yes Richie
121538 pOTTC1484 - pAAV SYN1 HA-hM4D(Gi) hM4D (Gi) Syn No Richie
121539 pOTTC1596 - pAAV SYN1 HA-hM3D(Gq) hM3D (Gq) Syn No Richie
50478 pAAV-GFAP-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry hM3D (Gq) GFAP mCherry No Roth
83896 pAAV-hDlx-GiDREADD-dTomato-Fishell-5 hM4D (Gi) hDlx tdTomato No Fishell
83897 pAAV-hDlx-GqDREADD-dTomato-Fishell-4 hM3D (Gq) hDlx tdTomato No Fishell
154867 pAAV-hSyn-fDIO-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry-WPREpA hM4D (Gi) Syn mCherry Flp-dependent Gether
154869 pAAV-hSyn-fDIO-rM3D(Gs)-mCherry-WPREpA rM3D (Gs) Syn mCherry Flp-dependent Gether
154868 pAAV-hSyn-fDIO-hM3D(Gq)-mCherry-WPREpA hM3D (Gq) Syn mCherry Flp-dependent Gether
89150 pOTTC1329 - pAAV EF1a HA-hM4D(Gi) hM4D (Gi) EF1a No Harvey
89149 pOTTC1328 - pAAV EF1a HA-hM3D(Gq) hM3D (Gq) EF1a No Harvey
60544 AA0250-mCherry-2a-hM4D-nrxn1a rev hM4Dnrxn (Gi) CAG mCherry Yes Sternson
52525 CMV:: HA-hM4Dnrxn hM4Dnrxn (Gi) CMV No Sternson
52523 CAG:: mCherry-2a-hM4Dnrxn hM4Dnrxn (Gi) CAG mCherry No Sternson
52521 AAV-CAG::FLEX-rev:: ChR2HA-2a-hM4D hM4Dnrxn (Gi) CAG ChR2-2a Yes Sternson
52520 CAG:: ChR2HA-2a-hM4D hM4Dnrxn (Gi) CAG ChR2-2a No Sternson
159457 AAVS1-pur-CAG-Bi-DREADD hM3D(Gq), KORD CAG mCherry No Chen
32483 rAAV-CAG::FLEX-rev:ChR2HA:2a:PSAML141F,Y115F:GlyR PSAML141F,Y115F-GlyR CAG ChR2 2A Yes Sternson
32482 CAG::PSAMQ79G:GlyR-IRES-GFP PSAMQ79G-GlyR CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson
32481 rAAV-syn::FLEX-rev::PSAML141F,Y115F:GlyR-IRES-GFP PSAML141F,Y115F-GlyR Syn IRES-EGFP Yes Sternson
32480 CAG::PSAML141F,Y115F:GlyR-IRES-GFP PSAML141F,Y115F-GlyR CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson
32479 rAAV-syn::FLEX-rev::PSAML141F:GlyR-IRES-GFP PSAML141F-GlyR Syn IRES-EGFP Yes Sternson
32478 CAG::PSAML141F:GlyR-IRES-GFP PSAML141F-GlyR CAG IRES-EGFP Yes Sternson
32477 rAAV-syn::FLEX-rev::PSAML141F,Y115F:5HT3HC-IRES-GFP PSAML141F,Y115F-5HT3HC Syn IRES-EGFP Yes Sternson
32476 CAG::PSAML141F,Y115F:5HT3HC-IRES-GFP PSAML141F,Y115F-5HT3HC CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson
32475 rAAV-syn::FLEX-rev::PSAMQ79G,Q139G:5HT3HC-IRES-GFP PSAMQ79G,Q139G:5HT3HC Syn IRES-EGFP Yes Sternson
32474 CAG::PSAMQ79G,Q139G:5HT3HC-IRES-GFP PSAMQ79G,Q139G:5HT3HC CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson
119739 pCAG PSAM4 GlyR IRES EGFP PSAM4-GlyR CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson
119740 pCAG PSAM4-5HT3 HC IRES EGFP PSAM4-5HT3 HC CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson
119741 AAV SYN flex PSAM4 GlyR IRES EGFP PSAM4-GlyR Syn IRES-EGFP Yes Sternson
119742 AAV SYN PSAM4 GlyR IRES EGFP PSAM4-GlyR Syn IRES-EGFP No Sternson
119744 AAV CAMKII PSAM4 GlyR IRES EGFP PSAM4-GlyR CamKII IRES-EGFP No Sternson
196041 pAAV Syn intron Psam4GlyR m3m4 HA PSAM4-GlyR m3m4 Syn No Sternson
123066 pCAG PSAM4 5HT3 LC IRES GFP PSAM4-5HT3 LC CAG IRES-EGFP No Sternson

No matching records found.

Browse all DREADD plasmids


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