Lights on and action! Controlling microbial gene expression by light

Light-mediated control of gene expression and thus of any protein function and metabolic process in living microbes is a rapidly developing field of research in the areas of functional genomics, systems biology, and biotechnology. The unique physical properties of the environmental factor light allo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied microbiology and biotechnology 2011-04, Vol.90 (1), p.23-40
Main Authors: Drepper, Thomas, Krauss, Ulrich, Meyer zu Berstenhorst, Sonja, Pietruszka, Jörg, Jaeger, Karl-Erich
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria - genetics
Bacteria - metabolism
Bacteria - radiation effects
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Bacterial Proteins - metabolism
Biological activity
Biological and medical sciences
Biology
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biotechnology
Control of gene expression
Environmental factors
Enzymes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fungal Proteins - genetics
Fungal Proteins - metabolism
Gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - radiation effects
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal - radiation effects
Genetic engineering
Genomics
Life Sciences
Light
Light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) domains
Metabolism
Microbial Genetics and Genomics
Microbiology
Microorganisms
Mini-Review
Optogenetics
Photo-switching
Photoactive yellow protein (PYP)
Photocaging
Photocatalysis
Photoreceptors
Photoreceptors, Microbial - genetics
Photoreceptors, Microbial - metabolism
Physical properties
Phytochrome (Phy)
Proteins
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
RNA polymerase
Signal transduction
Studies
Yeast two hybrid (Y2H)
Yeasts
Yeasts - genetics
Yeasts - metabolism
Yeasts - radiation effects
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Summary:Light-mediated control of gene expression and thus of any protein function and metabolic process in living microbes is a rapidly developing field of research in the areas of functional genomics, systems biology, and biotechnology. The unique physical properties of the environmental factor light allow for an independent photocontrol of various microbial processes in a noninvasive and spatiotemporal fashion. This mini review describes recently developed strategies to generate photo-sensitive expression systems in bacteria and yeast. Naturally occurring and artificial photoswitches consisting of light-sensitive input domains derived from different photoreceptors and regulatory output domains are presented and individual properties of light-controlled expression systems are discussed.
ISSN:0175-7598
1432-0614
DOI:10.1007/s00253-011-3141-6