Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, and Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Munich 81377, Germany.
Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, and Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Munich 81377, Germany.
Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2014 Aug;21:121-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2014.07.008. Epub 2014 Aug 8.
Nature's photoreceptors are typically composed of a chromophore that is covalently bound to a receptor protein at the top of a signaling cascade. The protein can function as a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), an ion channel, or as an enzyme. This logic can be mimicked with synthetic photoswitches, such as azobenzenes, that are linked to naturally 'blind' transmembrane proteins using in vivo-chemistry. The resulting semisynthetic receptors can be employed to optically control cellular functions, especially in neurons, and influence the behavior of animals with the exquisite temporal and spatial precision of light.
自然界中的光感受器通常由一个发色团组成，该发色团通过共价键与信号级联顶端的受体蛋白结合。该蛋白可以作为 G 蛋白偶联受体（GPCR）、离子通道或作为一种酶。这种逻辑可以通过合成光开关来模拟，例如偶氮苯，它们通过体内化学与天然的“盲”跨膜蛋白连接。由此产生的半合成受体可用于光学控制细胞功能，特别是在神经元中，并以光的精确时间和空间精度影响动物的行为。
