Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2020 Dec;66:195-206. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.07.007. Epub 2020 Oct 11.
Signaling networks control the flow of information through biological systems and coordinate the chemical processes that constitute cellular life. Optogenetic actuators - genetically encoded proteins that undergo light-induced changes in activity or conformation - are useful tools for probing signaling networks over time and space. They have permitted detailed dissections of cellular proliferation, differentiation, motility, and death, and enabled the assembly of synthetic systems with applications in areas as diverse as photography, chemical synthesis, and medicine. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to optogenetic systems and describe their application to molecular-level analyses of cell signaling. Our discussion highlights important research achievements and speculates on future opportunities to exploit optogenetic systems in the study and assembly of complex biochemical networks.
信号网络控制着信息在生物系统中的流动，并协调构成细胞生命的化学过程。光遗传学驱动器 - 经过光诱导活性或构象变化的基因编码蛋白 - 是用于随时间和空间探测信号网络的有用工具。它们允许对细胞增殖、分化、运动和死亡进行详细剖析，并能够组装具有摄影、化学合成和医学等多种应用的合成系统。在这篇综述中，我们提供了光遗传学系统的简要介绍，并描述了它们在细胞信号分子水平分析中的应用。我们的讨论强调了重要的研究成果，并推测了未来利用光遗传学系统研究和组装复杂生化网络的机会。
