In recent years, optogenetics revolutionized research in neuroscience and cell biology. Genetically encoded light-dependent modulators enable temporal and spatial control of molecular and cellular processes using light as a non-invasive stimulus. The DFG Priority Programme SPP 1926 “Next Generation Optogenetics” aims to promote applications in neuro- and cell biology using novel optogenetic tools. In our workgroup, we extended the optogenetic toolbox by exploring the application of a direct and light-dependent interaction between a photoreceptor protein and a short hairpin RNA aptamer in mammalian cells, which we dubbed ‘optoribogenetics’.

We are happy to announce that our PhD student Tejal Patwari won a poster prize at this year’s concluding meeting which took place in Uslar near Göttingen from 4th-7th October.

Literature:

Weber AM, Kaiser J, Ziegler T, Pilsl S, Renzl C, Sixt L, Pietruschka G, Moniot S, Kakoti A, Juraschitz M, Schrottke S, Lledo Bryant L, Steegborn C, Bittl R, Mayer G, Möglich A. A blue light receptor that mediates RNA binding and translational regulation. Nat Chem Biol. 2019 August 26;

Pilsl S, Morgan C, Choukeife M, Möglich A, Mayer G. Optoribogenetic control of regulatory RNA molecules. Nat Commun. 2020 Sep 24;11(1):4825. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-18673-5.

Renzl C, Kakoti A, Mayer G. Aptamer-Mediated Reversible Transactivation of Gene Expression by Light. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2020 Dec 7;59(50):22414-22418. doi: 10.1002/anie.202009240.