Curated Optogenetic Publication Database

Search precisely and efficiently by using the advantage of the hand-assigned publication tags that allow you to search for papers involving a specific trait, e.g. a particular optogenetic switch or a host organism.

Qr: author:"Marius Nieke"
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1.

Optogenetic BlueGENEs engineered into a human safe harbor locus.

blue TULIP CHO-K1 HEK293 HEK293T HeLa Control of cytoskeleton / cell motility / cell shape Cell death Control of cell-cell / cell-material interactions
Nucleic Acids Res, 14 Jan 2026 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaf1461 Link to full text
Abstract: Crafting synthetic in vitro tissues with mammalian cells faces a shortage of methods to define spatial features. Optogenetic tissue engineering can provide the desired spatial and temporal control but requires stable genomic engineering to support long-term cultivation and high response resolution. Here, we developed BlueGENEs, a set of optimized optogenetic gene switches. BlueGENEs support rapid, stable cell line generation, including precision engineering into the human AAVS1 safe harbor locus. By combining a designer endonuclease and a phage integrase, the approach overcomes gene-disruptive effects of random gene delivery and enables reproducible cell line development. BlueGENEs comprise an optogenetic blue light-responsive gene switch, a synthetic response promoter, and selection strategies serving broad use scenarios. We generated various human cell lines for optical control of apoptotic cell fate, 3D tissue formation, and signals promoting cytoskeletal remodeling. Our results demonstrate the integration of optogenetic cells with bioprinting technologies, illustrating the potential of BlueGENEs in advancing the synthesis of de novo or patient-derived in vitro model systems.
2.

Genetically-stable engineered optogenetic gene switches modulate spatial cell morphogenesis in two- and three-dimensional tissue cultures.

blue red EL222 PhyB/PIF6 TULIP CHO-K1 HEK293 HEK293T HeLa Transgene expression Cell death Developmental processes
Nat Commun, 2 Dec 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54350-7 Link to full text
Abstract: Recent advances in tissue engineering have been remarkable, yet the precise control of cellular behavior in 2D and 3D cultures remains challenging. One approach to address this limitation is to genomically engineer optogenetic control of cellular processes into tissues using gene switches that can operate with only a few genomic copies. Here, we implement blue and red light-responsive gene switches to engineer genomically stable two- and three-dimensional mammalian tissue models. Notably, we achieve precise control of cell death and morphogen-directed patterning in 2D and 3D tissues by optogenetically regulating cell necroptosis and synthetic WNT3A signaling at high spatiotemporal resolution. This is accomplished using custom-built patterned LED systems, including digital mirrors and photomasks, as well as laser techniques. These advancements demonstrate the capability of precise spatiotemporal modulation in tissue engineering and open up new avenues for developing programmable 3D tissue and organ models, with significant implications for biomedical research and therapeutic applications.
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