Curated Optogenetic Publication Database

Abstract: Talin regulates the adhesion and migration of cells in part by promoting the affinity of integrins for extracellular matrix proteins, a process that in cells such as endothelial cells and platelets requires the direct interaction of talin with both the small GTPase Rap1 bound to GTP (Rap1-GTP) and the integrin β3 cytoplasmic tail. To study this process in more detail, we employed an optogenetic approach in living, immortalized endothelial cells to be able to regulate the interaction of talin with the plasma membrane. Previous studies identified talin as the Rap1-GTP effector for β3 integrin activation. Surprisingly, optogenetic recruitment of talin-1 (TLN1; herein referred to as talin) to the plasma membrane also led to the localized activation of Rap1 itself, apparently by talin competing for Rap1-GTP with SHANK3, a protein known to sequester Rap1-GTP and to block integrin activation. Rap1 activation by talin was localized to the cell periphery in suspension cells and within lamellipodia and pseudopodia in cells adherent to fibronectin. Thus, membrane-associated talin can play a dual role in regulating integrin function in endothelial cells: first, by releasing Rap1-GTP from its sequestration by SHANK3, and second, by serving as the relevant Rap1 effector for integrin activation.

Abstract: Research for biopharmaceutical production processes with mammalian cells steadily aims to enhance the cell-specific productivity as a means for optimizing total productivities of bioreactors. Whereas current technologies such as pH, temperature, and osmolality shift require modifications of the cultivation medium, the use of optogenetic switches in recombinant producer cells might be a promising contact-free alternative. However, the proper application of optogenetically engineered cells requires a detailed understanding of basic cellular responses of cells that do not yet contain the optogenetic switches. The knowhow of ideal light exposure to enable the optimum use of related approaches is missing so far. Consequently, the current study set out to find optimum conditions for IgG1 producing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells which were exposed to blue LED light. Growth characteristics, cell-specific productivity using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, as well as cell cycle distribution using flow cytometry were analyzed. Whereas too harsh light exposure causes detrimental growth effects that could be compensated with antioxidants, a surprising boost of cell-specific productivity by 57% occurred at optimum high light doses. The increase coincided with an increased number of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle after 72 h of illumination. The results present a promising new approach to boost biopharmaceutical productivity of mammalian cells simply by proper light exposure without any further optogenetic engineering. KEY POINTS: • Blue LED light hinders growth in CHO DP-12 cells • Antioxidants protect to a certain degree from blue light effects • Illumination with blue LED light raises cell-specific productivity.

Abstract: In the field of tissue engineering, achieving precise spatiotemporal control over engineered cells is critical for sculpting functional 2D cell cultures into intricate morphological shapes. In this study, we engineer light-responsive mammalian cells and target them with dynamic light patterns to realize 2D cell culture patterning control. To achieve this, we developed μPatternScope (μPS), a modular framework for software-controlled projection of high-resolution light patterns onto microscope samples. μPS comprises hardware and software suite governing pattern projection and microscope maneuvers. Together with a 2D culture of the engineered cells, we utilize μPS for controlled spatiotemporal induction of apoptosis to generate desired 2D shapes. Furthermore, we introduce interactive closed-loop patterning, enabling a dynamic feedback mechanism between the measured cell culture patterns and the light illumination profiles to achieve the desired target patterning trends. Our work offers innovative tools for advanced tissue engineering applications through seamless fusion of optogenetics, optical engineering, and cybernetics.

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.

Abstract: Precise temporal and spatial control of gene expression is of great benefit for the study of specific cellular circuits and activities. Compared to chemical inducers, light-dependent control of gene expression by optogenetics achieves a higher spatial and temporal resolution. This could also prove decisive beyond basic research for manufacturing difficult-to-express proteins in pharmaceutical bioproduction. However, current optogenetic gene-expression systems limit this application in mammalian cells as expression levels and fold induction upon light stimulation are not sufficient. To overcome this limitation, we designed a photoswitch by fusing the blue light-activated light-oxygen-voltage receptor EL222 from Erythrobacter litoralis to the three tandem transcriptional activator domains VP64, p65, and Rta. The resultant photoswitch, dubbed DEL-VPR, allows an up to 400-fold induction of target gene expression by blue light, achieving expression levels that surpass those for strong constitutive promoters. Here, we utilized DEL-VPR to enable light-induced expression of complex monoclonal and bispecific antibodies with reduced byproduct expression, increasing the yield of functional protein complexes. Our approach offers temporally controlled yet strong gene expression and applies to both academic and industrial settings.

Abstract: Small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (SK, KCa2) are gated solely by intracellular microdomain Ca2+. The channel has emerged as a therapeutic target for cardiac arrhythmias. Calmodulin (CaM) interacts with the CaM binding domain (CaMBD) of the SK channels, serving as the obligatory Ca2+ sensor to gate the channels. In heterologous expression systems, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) coordinates with CaM in regulating SK channels. However, the roles and mechanisms of PIP2 in regulating SK channels in cardiomyocytes remain unknown. Here, optogenetics, magnetic nanoparticles, combined with Rosetta structural modeling, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed the atomistic mechanisms of how PIP2 works in concert with Ca2+-CaM in the SK channel activation. Our computational study affords evidence for the critical role of the amino acid residue R395 in the S6 transmembrane segment, which is localized in propinquity to the intracellular hydrophobic gate. This residue forms a salt bridge with residue E398 in the S6 transmembrane segment from the adjacent subunit. Both R395 and E398 are conserved in all known isoforms of SK channels. Our findings suggest that the binding of PIP2 to R395 residue disrupts the R395:E398 salt bridge, increasing the flexibility of the transmembrane segment S6 and the activation of the channel. Importantly, our findings serve as a platform for testing of structural-based drug designs for therapeutic inhibitors and activators of the SK channel family. The study is timely since inhibitors of SK channels are currently in clinical trials to treat atrial arrhythmias.

Abstract: Plant phytochromes perceive red and far-red light to elicit adaptations to the changing environment. Downstream physiological responses revolve around red-light-induced interactions with phytochrome-interacting factors (PIF). Phytochromes double as thermoreceptors, owing to the pronounced temperature dependence of thermal reversion from the light-adapted Pfr to the dark-adapted Pr state. Here, we assess whether thermoreception may extend to the phytochrome:PIF interactions. While the association between Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PHYTOCHROME B (PhyB) and several PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR (PIF) variants moderately accelerates with temperature, the dissociation does more so, thus causing net destabilization of the phytochrome:PIF complex. Markedly different temperature profiles of PIF3 and PIF6 might underlie stratified temperature responses in plants. Accidentally, we identify a photoreception mechanism under strong continuous light, where the extent of phytochrome:PIF complexation decreases with red-light intensity rather than increases. Mathematical modeling rationalizes this attenuation mechanism and ties it to rapid red-light-driven Pr⇄Pfr interconversion and complex dissociation out of Pr. Varying phytochrome abundance, e.g., during diurnal and developmental cycles, and interaction dynamics, e.g., across different PIFs, modify the nature and extent of attenuation, thus permitting light-response profiles more malleable than possible for the phytochrome Pr⇄Pfr interconversion alone. Our data and analyses reveal a photoreception mechanism with implications for plant physiology, optogenetics, and biotechnological applications.

Abstract: We developed a system for optogenetic release of single molecules in cells. We confined soluble and transmembrane proteins to the Golgi apparatus via a photocleavable protein and released them by short pulses of light. Our method allows for a light dose-dependent delivery of functional proteins to the cytosol and plasma membrane in amounts compatible with single-molecule imaging, greatly simplifying access to single-molecule microscopy of any protein in live cells. We were able to reconstitute ion conductance by delivering BK and LRRC8/volume-regulated anion channels to the plasma membrane. Finally we were able to induce NF-kB signaling in T lymphoblasts stimulated by interleukin-1 by controlled release of a signaling protein that had been knocked out. We observed light-induced formation of functional inflammatory signaling complexes that triggered phosphorylation of the inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase only in activated cells. We thus developed an optogenetic method for the reconstitution and investigation of cellular function at the single-molecule level.

Abstract: The progression through the cell cycle phases is driven by cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclins as their regulatory subunits. As nuclear protein, the cell cycle inhibitor p21/CDKN1A arrests the cell cycle at the growth phase G1 by inhibiting the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases. The G1 phase correlates with increased cell size and cellular productivity. Here, we applied an optogenetic approach to control the subcellular localization of p21 and its nuclear functions. To generate light-controllable p21, appropriate fusions with the blue light switch cryptochrome 2/CIBN and the AsLOV-based light-inducible nuclear localization signal, LINuS, were used. Both systems, p21-CRY2/CIB1 and p21-LINuS, increased the amounts of cells arrested in the G1 phase correlating with the increased cell-specific productivity of the reporter-protein-secreted alkaline phosphatase. Varying the intervals of blue LED light exposure and the light dose enable the fine-tuning of the systems. Light-controllable p21 implemented in producer cell lines could be applied to steer the uncoupling of cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase optimizing the production of biotherapeutic proteins.

Abstract: Optogenetic tools for controlling protein-protein interactions (PPIs) have been developed from a small number of photosensory modules that respond to a limited selection of wavelengths. Cyanobacteriochrome (CBCR) GAF domain variants respond to an unmatched array of colors; however, their natural molecular mechanisms of action cannot easily be exploited for optogenetic control of PPIs. Here we developed bidirectional, cyanobacteriochrome-based light-inducible dimers (BICYCL)s by engineering synthetic light-dependent interactors for a red/green GAF domain. The systematic approach enables the future engineering of the broad chromatic palette of CBCRs for optogenetics use. BICYCLs are among the smallest optogenetic tools for controlling PPIs and enable either green-ON/red-OFF (BICYCL-Red) or red-ON/green-OFF (BICYCL-Green) control with up to 800-fold state selectivity. The access to green wavelengths creates new opportunities for multiplexing with existing tools. We demonstrate the utility of BICYCLs for controlling protein subcellular localization and transcriptional processes in mammalian cells and for multiplexing with existing blue-light tools.

Abstract: The activity of the epithelial Na+ Channel (ENaC) is strongly dependent on the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). PIP2 binds two distinct cationic clusters within the N termini of β- and γ-ENaC subunits (βN1 and γN2). The affinities of these sites were previously determined using short synthetic peptides, yet their role in sensitizing ENaC to changes in PIP2 levels in the cellular system is not well established. We addressed this question by comparing the effects of PIP2 depletion and recovery on ENaC channel activity and intracellular Na+ levels [Na+]i. We tested effects on ENaC activity with mutations to the PIP2 binding sites using the optogenetic system CIBN/CRY2-OCRL to selectively deplete PIP2. We monitored changes of [Na+]i by measuring the fluorescent Na+ indicator, CoroNa Green AM, and changes in channel activity by performing patch clamp electrophysiology. Whole cell patch clamp measurements showed a complete lack of response to PIP2 depletion and recovery in ENaC with mutations to βN1 or γN2 or both sites, compared to wild type ENaC. Whereas mutant βN1 also had no change in CoroNa Green fluorescence in response to PIP2 depletion, γN2 did have reduced [Na+]i, which was explained by having shorter CoroNa Green uptake and half-life. These results suggest that CoroNa Green measurements should be interpreted with caution. Importantly, the electrophysiology results show that the βN1 and γN2 sites on ENaC are each necessary to permit maximal ENaC activity in the presence of PIP2.

Abstract: Methodologies for the controlled delivery of genetic information into target cells are of utmost importance for genetic engineering in both fundamental and applied research. However, available methods for efficient gene transfer into user-selected or even single cells suffer from low throughput, the need for complicated equipment, high invasiveness, or side effects by off-target viral uptake. Here, we engineer an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector system that transfers genetic information into native target cells upon illumination with cell-compatible red light. This OptoAAV system allows adjustable and spatially resolved gene transfer down to single-cell resolution and is compatible with different cell lines and primary cells. Moreover, the sequential application of multiple OptoAAVs enables spatially resolved transduction with different transgenes. The approach presented is likely extendable to other classes of viral vectors and is expected to foster advances in basic and applied genetic research.

Abstract: Interaction of talin with the cytoplasmic tails of integrin β triggers integrin activation, leading to an increase of integrin affinity/avidity for extracellular ligands. In talin knockout mice, loss of talin interaction with platelet integrin αIIbβ3 causes a severe hemostatic defect, and loss of talin interaction with endothelial cell integrin αVβ3 affects angiogenesis. In normal cells, talin is auto-inhibited and localized in the cytoplasm. Here we employed an optogenetic platform to assess whether recruitment of full-length talin to the plasma membrane was sufficient to induce integrin activation. A dimerization module (CRY2 fused to the N-terminus of talin; CIBN-CAAX) responsive to 450 nm (blue) light was inserted into CHO cells and endothelial cells also expressing αIIbβ3 or αVβ3, respectively. Thus, exposure of the cells to blue light caused a rapid and reversible recruitment of CRY2-talin to the CIBN-CAAX-decorated plasma membrane. This resulted in β3 integrin activation in both cell types, as well as increasing migration of the endothelial cells. However, membrane recruitment of talin was not sufficient for integrin activation, as membrane-associated Rap1-GTP was also required. Moreover, talin mutations that interfered with its direct binding to Rap1 abrogated β3 integrin activation. Altogether, these results define a role for the plasma membrane recruitment of talin in β3 integrin activation, and they suggest a nuanced sequence of events thereafter involving Rap1-GTP.

Abstract: Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels regulate the membrane potential and conductance of excitable cells to control the firing rate and waveform of action potentials. Even though Kv channels have been intensely studied for over 70 year, surprisingly little is known about how specific channels expressed in various neurons and their functional properties impact neuronal network activity and behavior in vivo. Although many in vivo genetic manipulations of ion channels have been tried, interpretation of these results is complicated by powerful homeostatic plasticity mechanisms that act to maintain function following perturbations in excitability. To better understand how Kv channels shape network function and behavior, we have developed a novel optogenetic technology to acutely regulate Kv channel expression with light by fusing the light-sensitive LOV domain of Vaucheria frigida Aureochrome 1 to the N-terminus of the Kv1 subunit protein to make an Opto-Kv1 channel. Recording of Opto-Kv1 channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes, mammalian cells, and neurons show that blue light strongly induces the current expression of Opto-Kv1 channels in all systems tested. We also find that an Opto-Kv1 construct containing a dominant-negative pore mutation (Opto-Kv1(V400D)) can be used to down-regulate Kv1 currents in a blue light-dependent manner. Finally, to determine whether Opto-Kv1 channels can elicit light-dependent behavioral effect in vivo, we targeted Opto-Kv1 (V400D) expression to Kv1.3-expressing mitral cells of the olfactory bulb in mice. Exposure of the bulb to blue light for 2-3 hours produced a significant increase in sensitivity to novel odors after initial habituation to a similar odor, comparable to behavioral changes seen in Kv1.3 knockout animals. In summary, we have developed novel photoactivatable Kv channels that provide new ways to interrogate neural circuits in vivo and to examine the roles of normal and disease-causing mutant Kv channels in brain function and behavior.

Abstract: The introduction of optogenetics into cell biology has furnished systems to control gene expression at the transcriptional and protein stability level, with a high degree of spatial, temporal, and dynamic light‐regulation capabilities. Strategies to downregulate RNA currently rely on RNA interference and CRISPR/Cas‐related methods. However, these approaches lack the key characteristics and advantages provided by optical control. “Lockdown” introduces optical control of RNA levels utilizing a blue light‐dependent switch to induce expression of CRISPR/Cas13b, which mediates sequence‐specific mRNA knockdown. Combining Lockdown with optogenetic tools to repress gene‐expression and induce protein destabilization with blue light yields efficient triple‐controlled downregulation of target proteins. Implementing Lockdown to degrade endogenous mRNA levels of the cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 (hCdk1) leads to blue light‐induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and inhibition of cell growth in mammalian cells.

Abstract: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are widely used for industrial production of biopharmaceuticals. Many genetic, chemical, and environmental approaches have been developed to modulate cellular pathways to improve titers. However, these methods are often irreversible or have off-target effects. Development of techniques which are precise, tunable, and reversible will facilitate temporal regulation of target pathways to maximize titers. In this study, we investigate the use of optogenetics in CHO cells. The light-activated CRISPR-dCas9 effector (LACE) system was first transiently transfected to express eGFP in a light-inducible manner. Then, a stable system was tested using lentiviral transduction.

Abstract: Phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)‐triphosphate (PIP3), acts as a fundamental second messenger, is emerging as a promising biomarker for disease diagnosis and prognosis. However, the real time analysis of phosphoinositide in living cells remains key challenge owing to the low basal abundance and its fast metabolic rate. Herein, we design an optogenetic system that uses light sensitive protein‐protein interaction between Arabidopsis cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) and CIB1 to spatiotemporally visualize the PIP3 production with sub‐second timescale. In this system, a CIBN is anchored on the plasma membrane, whereas a CRY2 fused with a constitutively active PI3‐kinase (acPI3K) would be driven from the cytosol to the membrane by the blue‐light‐activated CRY2‐CIB1 interaction upon light irradiation. The PIP3 production is visualized via a fused fluorescent protein by the translocation of a Pleckstrin Homology (PH) domain(GRP1) from the cytosol to the plasma membrane with high specificity. We demonstrated the fast dynamics and reversibility of the optogenetic system initiated PIP3 synthesis on the plasma membrane. Notably, the real‐time cell movements were also observed upon localized light stimulation. The established optogenetic method provides a novel spatiotemporal strategy for specific PIP3 visualization, which is beneficial to improve the understanding of PIP3 functions.

Abstract: Phytochrome photoreceptors mediate adaptive responses of plants to red and far-red light. These responses generally entail light-regulated association between phytochromes and other proteins, among them the phytochrome-interacting factors (PIF). The interaction with Arabidopsis thaliana phytochrome B (AtPhyB) localizes to the bipartite APB motif of the A. thaliana PIFs (AtPIF). To address a dearth of quantitative interaction data, we construct and analyze numerous AtPIF3/6 variants. Red-light-activated binding is predominantly mediated by the APB N-terminus, whereas the C-terminus modulates binding and underlies the differential affinity of AtPIF3 and AtPIF6. We identify AtPIF variants of reduced size, monomeric or homodimeric state, and with AtPhyB affinities between 10 and 700 nM. Optogenetically deployed in mammalian cells, the AtPIF variants drive light-regulated gene expression and membrane recruitment, in certain cases reducing basal activity and enhancing regulatory response. Moreover, our results provide hitherto unavailable quantitative insight into the AtPhyB:AtPIF interaction underpinning vital light-dependent responses in plants.

Abstract: Optical control over the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) provides an efficient way to reversibly and non-invasively map their functions. We combined catalytic domains of Trk (tropomyosin receptor kinase) family of RTKs, naturally activated by neurotrophins, with photosensory core module of DrBphP bacterial phytochrome to develop opto-kinases, termed Dr-TrkA and Dr-TrkB, reversibly switchable on and off with near-infrared and far-red light. We validated Dr-Trk ability to reversibly light-control several RTK pathways, calcium level, and demonstrated that their activation triggers canonical Trk signaling. Dr-TrkA induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma and glioblastoma, but not in other cell types. Absence of spectral crosstalk between Dr-Trks and blue-light-activatable LOV-domain-based translocation system enabled intracellular targeting of Dr-TrkA independently of its activation, additionally modulating Trk signaling. Dr-Trks have several superior characteristics that make them the opto-kinases of choice for regulation of RTK signaling: high activation range, fast and reversible photoswitching, and multiplexing with visible-light-controllable optogenetic tools.

Abstract: Optogenetic switches are emerging molecular tools for studying cellular processes as they offer higher spatiotemporal and quantitative precision than classical, chemical-based switches. Light-controllable gene expression systems designed to upregulate protein expression levels meanwhile show performances superior to their chemical-based counterparts. However, systems to reduce protein levels with similar efficiency are lagging behind. Here, we present a novel two-component, blue light-responsive optogenetic OFF switch (‘Blue-OFF’), which enables a rapid and quantitative down-regulation of a protein upon illumination. Blue-OFF combines the first light responsive repressor KRAB-EL222 with the protein degradation module B-LID (blue light-inducible degradation domain) to simultaneously control gene expression and protein stability with a single wavelength. Blue-OFF thus outperforms current optogenetic systems for controlling protein levels. The system is described by a mathematical model which aids in the choice of experimental conditions such as light intensity and illumination regime to obtain the desired outcome. This approach represents an advancement of dual-controlled optogenetic systems in which multiple photosensory modules operate synergistically. As exemplified here for the control of apoptosis in mammalian cell culture, the approach opens up novel perspectives in fundamental research and applications such as tissue engineering.

Abstract: Genome engineering techniques represented by the Cre-loxP recombination system have been used extensively for biomedical research. However, powerful and useful techniques for genome engineering that have high spatiotemporal precision remain elusive. Here we develop a highly efficient photoactivatable Cre recombinase (PA-Cre) to optogenetically control genome engineering in vivo. PA-Cre is based on the reassembly of split Cre fragments by light-inducible dimerization of the Magnet system. PA-Cre enables sharp induction (up to 320-fold) of DNA recombination and is efficiently activated even by low-intensity illumination (∼0.04 W m(-2)) or short periods of pulsed illumination (∼30 s). We demonstrate that PA-Cre allows for efficient DNA recombination in an internal organ of living mice through noninvasive external illumination using a LED light source. The present PA-Cre provides a powerful tool to greatly facilitate optogenetic genome engineering in vivo.

Abstract: Blastocladiomycota fungi form motile zoospores that are guided by sensory photoreceptors to areas of optimal light conditions. We showed that the microbial rhodopsin of Blastocladiella emersonii is a rhodopsin-guanylyl cyclase (RhGC), a member of a previously uncharacterized rhodopsin class of light-activated enzymes that generate the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Upon application of a short light flash, recombinant RhGC converted within 8 ms into a signaling state with blue-shifted absorption from which the dark state recovered within 100 ms. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, Chinese hamster ovary cells, or mammalian neurons, RhGC generated cGMP in response to green light in a light dose-dependent manner on a subsecond time scale. Thus, we propose RhGC as a versatile tool for the optogenetic analysis of cGMP-dependent signaling processes in cell biology and the neurosciences.

Abstract: Protein trafficking in and out of the nucleus represents a key step in controlling cell fate and function. Here we report the development of a red light-inducible and far-red light-reversible synthetic system for controlling nuclear localization of proteins in mammalian cells and zebrafish. First, we synthetically reconstructed and validated the red light-dependent Arabidopsis phytochrome B nuclear import mediated by phytochrome-interacting factor 3 in a nonplant environment and support current hypotheses on the import mechanism in planta. On the basis of this principle we next regulated nuclear import and activity of target proteins by the spatiotemporal projection of light patterns. A synthetic transcription factor was translocated into the nucleus of mammalian cells and zebrafish to drive transgene expression. These data demonstrate the first in vivo application of a plant phytochrome-based optogenetic tool in vertebrates and expand the repertoire of available light-regulated molecular devices.

Abstract: Optogenetic gene switches allow gene expression control at an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. Recently, light-responsive transgene expression systems that are activated by UV-B, blue, or red light have been developed. These systems perform well on their own, but their integration into genetic networks has been hampered by the overlapping absorbance spectra of the photoreceptors. We identified a lack of orthogonality between UV-B and blue light-controlled gene expression as the bottleneck and employed a model-based approach that identified the need for a blue light-responsive gene switch that is insensitive to low-intensity light. Based on this prediction, we developed a blue light-responsive and rapidly reversible expression system. Finally, we employed this expression system to demonstrate orthogonality between UV-B, blue, and red/far-red light-responsive gene switches in a single mammalian cell culture. We expect this approach to enable the spatiotemporal control of gene networks and to expand the applications of optogenetics in synthetic biology.

Abstract: Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a large family of cell surface receptors that sense growth factors and hormones and regulate a variety of cell behaviours in health and disease. Contactless activation of RTKs with spatial and temporal precision is currently not feasible. Here, we generated RTKs that are insensitive to endogenous ligands but can be selectively activated by low-intensity blue light. We screened light-oxygen-voltage (LOV)-sensing domains for their ability to activate RTKs by light-activated dimerization. Incorporation of LOV domains found in aureochrome photoreceptors of stramenopiles resulted in robust activation of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and rearranged during transfection (RET). In human cancer and endothelial cells, light induced cellular signalling with spatial and temporal precision. Furthermore, light faithfully mimicked complex mitogenic and morphogenic cell behaviour induced by growth factors. RTKs under optical control (Opto-RTKs) provide a powerful optogenetic approach to actuate cellular signals and manipulate cell behaviour.