University of Bremen 4 articles published in JoVE Behavior An Open-Source, Fully Customizable 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task Toolbox for Automated Behavioral Training of Rodents Julia Morais Gancz1, Nada El Jundi2, Eva Strippelmann2, Michael Koch2, Detlef Wegener1 1Cognitive Neurophysiology Department, Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, 2Neuropharmacology Department, Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen The present protocol describes the development of an open-source 5-choice serial reaction time task toolbox for rodent animal models, using Arduino and related hardware and a versatile Matlab toolbox, including an optional script for automated behavioral training. The scripts are customizable and facilitate the implementation of different trial-and-test designs. Behavior Optogenetic Manipulation of Neuronal Activity to Modulate Behavior in Freely Moving Mice Laura Berg1,2, Jill Gerdey1,2, Olivia A. Masseck1,2 1Biology and Chemistry, Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, 2Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum With optogenetic manipulation of specific neuronal populations or brain regions, behavior can be modified with high temporal and spatial resolution in freely moving animals. By using different optogenetic tools in combination with chronically implanted optical fibers, a variety of neuronal modulations and behavioral testing can be performed. Biology In Vivo Quantification of Protein Turnover in Aging C. Elegans using Photoconvertible Dendra2 Maria Lucia Pigazzini1,2, Janine Kirstein1,3 1Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology im Forschungsverbund, 2NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 3Department of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen Presented here is a protocol to monitor degradation of the protein huntingtin fused to the photoconvertible fluorophore Dendra2. Biochemistry Characterization of Amyloid Structures in Aging C. Elegans Using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Maria Lucia Pigazzini*1,2, Christian Gallrein*1, Manuel Iburg*1, Gabriele Kaminski Schierle3, Janine Kirstein1,4 1Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology im Forschungsverbund Berlin, 2NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 3Molecular Neuroscience Group, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, 4Cell Biology, University of Bremen Fluorescence lifetime imaging monitors, quantifies and distinguishes the aggregation tendencies of proteins in living, aging, and stressed C. elegans disease models.
