A Switchable Light-input, Light-output System Modelled and Constructed in Yeast
Overview
Authors
Affiliations
Background: Advances in synthetic biology will require spatio-temporal regulation of biological processes in heterologous host cells. We develop a light-switchable, two-hybrid interaction in yeast, based upon the Arabidopsis proteins PHYTOCHROME A and FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 1-LIKE. Light input to this regulatory module allows dynamic control of a light-emitting LUCIFERASE reporter gene, which we detect by real-time imaging of yeast colonies on solid media.
Results: The reversible activation of the phytochrome by red light, and its inactivation by far-red light, is retained. We use this quantitative readout to construct a mathematical model that matches the system's behaviour and predicts the molecular targets for future manipulation.
Conclusion: Our model, methods and materials together constitute a novel system for a eukaryotic host with the potential to convert a dynamic pattern of light input into a predictable gene expression response. This system could be applied for the regulation of genetic networks - both known and synthetic.
Optogenetic control of gene expression in the cyanobacterium sp. PCC 7002.
Forbes L, Papanatsiou M, Palombo A, Christie J, Amtmann A Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025; 12:1529022.
PMID: 39898276 PMC: 11782128. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1529022.
Machens F, Ran G, Ruehmkorff C, Meyer Auf der Heyde J, Mueller-Roeber B, Hochrein L ACS Synth Biol. 2023; 12(4):1046-1057.
PMID: 37014634 PMC: 10127447. DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00517.
Expanding the molecular versatility of an optogenetic switch in yeast.
Figueroa D, Baeza C, Ruiz D, Inzunza C, Romero A, Toro R Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022; 10:1029217.
PMID: 36457859 PMC: 9705753. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1029217.
Li H, Qin X, Song P, Han R, Li J aBIOTECH. 2022; 2(2):105-116.
PMID: 36304755 PMC: 9590525. DOI: 10.1007/s42994-021-00034-5.
Optogenetics for transcriptional programming and genetic engineering.
Lan T, He L, Huang Y, Zhou Y Trends Genet. 2022; 38(12):1253-1270.
PMID: 35738948 PMC: 10484296. DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.05.014.