Synthetic Biological Approaches for Optogenetics and Tools for Transcriptional Light‐Control in Bacteria

Abstract

have distinct "dark/ground" and "lightactivated" states which confer different functions to adapt to a light stimulus.Optogenetics is a biological technique that exploits the information carrying property of light by using such photo sensors for bioengineering. Light can then be used to control genetically encoded lightsensitive proteins, which in turn can influence diverse functions of cells. The word "optogenetics" was first used in the context of light-gated ion channels in 2006. [1] The use of these channels has revolutionized neuroscience as well as other biological disciplines. The first genetically engineered light-sensitive proteins date back to 2002 when a yeast-two-hybrid system was coupled with photosensitive domains to create a light-regulated transcription system in yeast. [2] That same year, the discoveries of light-gated ion channels were published. [3,4] Since then, light has been used to perturb and control a variety of cellular functions using different approaches. These approaches, some of which will later be discussed, are either made possible through the use of light as an input, or are used as alternatives for small molecule inputs, such as chemical inducers (for gene expression) or hormones (to elicit cellular responses). In this regard, light fulfills a similar function to small molecule signals which have been used extensively in biological research and biotechnology. For example, small-molecule inducible gene expression systems are key components in synthetic biology [5] and biotechnological applications. [6] However, in contrast to small molecules, which usually bind to specific sensors, light transfers information through photons, which provides unique properties: precise spatiotemporal and orthogonal inputs.

The Roles of Optogenetics and Technology in Neurobiology: A Review

“…Researchers are also developing more precise ( Adesnik and Abdeladim, 2021 ) and less invasive optogenetic devices, such as SOUL ( Gong et al, 2020 ). At the same time, optogenetics has strong compatibility, it can be used to study a variety of diseases, such as diabetes ( Li et al, 2021 ), inflammation ( Baumschlager and Khammash, 2021 ; Bhat et al, 2021 ; Dos Santos et al, 2021 ; Jamaluddin et al, 2021 ; Michoud et al, 2021 ; Santos et al, 2021 ; Senok et al, 2021 ), tumors ( Kim et al, 2017 ; Adampourezare et al, 2021 ; Esmaeili et al, 2022 ), depression ( Hare et al, 2019 ), epilepsy ( Zhang and Wang, 2021 ) and so on. And in 2020, 45 laboratories around the world integrated all optogenetics resources and create an optogenetics experimental database ( Tremblay et al, 2020 ).…”

Toward Multiplexed Optogenetic Circuits

“…Due to these inherent properties, a strong interest has emerged in exploring the use of light-sensitive proteins ( Zayner and Sosnick, 2014 ). Recent reviews include photoreceptors in different organisms ( Terakita, 2005 ; Grote and O’Malley, 2011 ; Bhaya, 2016 ; Liu et al, 2018 ), optogenetic regulation at the transcriptional level ( Keyes and Mills, 2003 ; de Mena et al, 2018 ; Polesskaya et al, 2018 ; Baumschlager and Khammash, 2021 ), light-induced dimerization ( Klewer and Wu, 2019 ), engineering strategies for optogenetics ( McIsaac et al, 2015 ; Hoffmann et al, 2018 ; Bedbrook et al, 2019 ; Banerjee and Mitra, 2020 ), and application of optogenetics for bioproduction in which economical competitivity remains to be determined ( Carrasco-López et al, 2020 ; Pouzet et al, 2020 ).…”

Optogenetic control of apical constriction induces synthetic morphogenesis in mammalian tissues

“…Because apical constriction occurs in specific stages and areas of the developing embryo, reconstituting curved tissues requires tools to control cellular contractility in space and time. Optogenetics is a powerful methodology to gain spatiotemporal control of biological processes from the molecular to the multicellular level [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] . Izquierdo and colleagues employed optogenetics to recruit RhoGEF to the plasma membrane in Drosophila embryos.…”