Optogenetics Illuminates Applications in Microbial Engineering.

Publication Year
2022

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

Optogenetics has been used in a variety of microbial engineering applications, such as chemical and protein production, studies of cell physiology, and engineered microbe-host interactions. These diverse applications benefit from the precise spatiotemporal control that light affords, as well as its tunability, reversibility, and orthogonality. This combination of unique capabilities has enabled a surge of studies in recent years investigating complex biological systems with completely new approaches. We briefly describe the optogenetic tools that have been developed for microbial engineering, emphasizing the scientific advancements that they have enabled. In particular, we focus on the unique benefits and applications of implementing optogenetic control, from bacterial therapeutics to cybergenetics. Finally, we discuss future research directions, with special attention given to the development of orthogonal multichromatic controls. With an abundance of advantages offered by optogenetics, the future is bright in microbial engineering.

Keywords
Journal
Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng
Volume
13
Pages
373-403
Date Published
2022 Jun 10
ISSN Number
1947-5446
Alternate Journal
Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng
PMID
35320696