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Guidelines for Photoreceptor Engineering

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Optogenetics

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1408))

Abstract

Sensory photoreceptors underpin optogenetics by mediating the noninvasive and reversible perturbation of living cells by light with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. Spurred by seminal optogenetic applications of natural photoreceptors, the engineering of photoreceptors has recently garnered wide interest and has led to the construction of a broad palette of novel light-regulated actuators. Photoreceptors are modularly built of photosensors that receive light signals, and of effectors that carry out specific cellular functions. These modules have to be precisely connected to allow efficient communication, such that light stimuli are relayed from photosensor to effector. The engineering of photoreceptors benefits from a thorough understanding of the underlying signaling mechanisms. This chapter gives a brief overview of key characteristics and signal-transduction mechanisms of sensory photoreceptors. Adaptation of these concepts in photoreceptor engineering has enabled the generation of novel optogenetic tools that greatly transcend the repertoire of natural photoreceptors.

*The first two authors contributed euqally to this chapter.

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Acknowledgements

Research in our laboratory is generously supported through a Sofja-Kovalevskaya Award by the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation (to A.M.) and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the Cluster of Excellence ‘Unicat—Unifying Concepts in Catalysis’.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Institut für Biologie, Biophysikalische Chemie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany

      Thea Ziegler, Charlotte Helene Schumacher & Andreas Möglich

    2. Lehrstuhl für Biochemie, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätstraße 30, Bldg. NW III, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

      Thea Ziegler

    3. Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Lehrstuhl für Biochemie, Universität Bayreuth, Universitätstraße 30, Bldg. NW III, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

      Andreas Möglich

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    1. Thea Ziegler
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    2. Charlotte Helene Schumacher
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    3. Andreas Möglich
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    Correspondence to Andreas Möglich .

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    Editors and Affiliations

    1. University of Bielefeld, Dept of Cellular & Dev Biology of Plants, Bielefeld, Germany

      Arash Kianianmomeni

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    Ziegler, T., Schumacher, C.H., Möglich, A. (2016). Guidelines for Photoreceptor Engineering. In: Kianianmomeni, A. (eds) Optogenetics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1408. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3512-3_27

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3512-3_27

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    • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

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