Cre activated and inactivated recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors for neuronal anatomical tracing or activity manipulation

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) transcriptionally activated by Cre recombinase (Cre-On) are powerful tools for determining the anatomy and function of genetically defined neuronal types in transgenic Cre driver mice. Here we describe how rAAVs transcriptionally inactivated by Cre (Cre-Off) can be used in conjunction with Cre-On rAAVs or genomic Cre-reporter alleles to study brain circuits. Intracranial injection of Cre-On/Cre-OffrAAVs into spatially intermingled Cre+ and Cre- neurons allows these populations to be differentially labeled or manipulated within individual animals. This comparison helps define the unique properties of Cre+ neurons, highlighting the specialized role they play in their constituent brain circuits. This protocol touches on the conceptual and experimental background of Cre-OffrAAV systems, including caveats and methods of validation.