德国杜赛尔多夫大学Matias D. Zurbriggen研究组开发了可用于植物基因表达操控的光遗传学工具。相关论文于2020年6月29日在线发表在《自然—方法学》杂志上。

据研究人员介绍，光遗传学是用光控制细胞过程的遗传方法。它提供了对生物信号和代谢过程的时空、定量以及可逆地控制，从而克服了化学诱导系统的局限性。但是，光遗传学在植物研究方面滞后，因为生长所需的环境光会导致系统激活。

Title: Optogenetic control of gene expression in plants in the presence of ambient white light

Author: Rocio Ochoa-Fernandez, Nikolaj B. Abel, Franz-Georg Wieland, Jenia Schlegel, Leonie-Alexa Koch, J. Benjamin Miller, Raphael Engesser, Giovanni Giuriani, Simon M. Brandl, Jens Timmer, Wilfried Weber, Thomas Ott, Rdiger Simon, Matias D. Zurbriggen

Issue&Volume: 2020-06-29

Abstract: Optogenetics is the genetic approach for controlling cellular processes with light. It provides spatiotemporal, quantitative and reversible control over biological signaling and metabolic processes, overcoming limitations of chemically inducible systems. However, optogenetics lags in plant research because ambient light required for growth leads to undesired system activation. We solved this issue by developing plant usable light-switch elements (PULSE), an optogenetic tool for reversibly controlling gene expression in plants under ambient light. PULSE combines a blue-light-regulated repressor with a red-light-inducible switch. Gene expression is only activated under red light and remains inactive under white light or in darkness. Supported by a quantitative mathematical model, we characterized PULSE in protoplasts and achieved high induction rates, and we combined it with CRISPR–Cas9-based technologies to target synthetic signaling and developmental pathways. We applied PULSE to control immune responses in plant leaves and generated Arabidopsis transgenic plants. PULSE opens broad experimental avenues in plant research and biotechnology.

DOI: 10.1038/s41592-020-0868-y

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-020-0868-y