The optical neuroscience revolution is transforming how we study neural circuits. By
providing a precise way to manipulate endogenous neuronal signaling proteins, it also has …

Highlights•Photoswitchable fluorescent proteins cycle between on and off states in response
to light.•Structural studies reveal diversity in the details of photoswitching …

Protein localization plays a central role in cell biology. Although powerful tools exist to assay
the spatial and temporal dynamics of proteins in living cells, our ability to control these …

Light is fundamental to life on earth. Therefore, nature has evolved a multitude of
photoreceptors that sense light across all kingdoms. This natural resource provides synthetic …

The chromophore 3-Z phycocyanobilin (PCB,(2R, 3Z)-8, 12-bis (2-carboxyethyl)-18-ethyl-3-
ethylidene-2, 7, 13, 17-tetramethyl-2, 3-dihydrobilin-1, 19 (21H, 24H)-dione) mediates red …

Photobleaching, the irreversible photodestruction of a chromophore, severely limits the use
of fluorescent proteins (FPs) in optical microscopy. Yet, the mechanisms that govern …

The development and progress in synthetic biology has been remarkable. Although still in its
infancy, synthetic biology has achieved much during the past decade. Improvements in …

Enabling optical control over biological processes is a defining goal of the new field of
optogenetics. Control of membrane voltage by natural rhodopsin family ion channels has …

Highlights•Synthetic biology strategies for disease therapy.•Synthetic gene circuits for
treating metabolic disorders.•Synthetic logic circuits for cancer therapy.•Engineering …

Upon blue light irradiation, photoactive yellow protein (PYP) undergoes a conformational
change that involves large movements at the N-terminus of the protein. We reasoned that …