AUTHOR=Hilgers Fabienne , Hogenkamp Fabian , Klaus Oliver , Kruse Luzie , Loeschcke Anita , Bier Claus , Binder Dennis , Jaeger Karl-Erich , Pietruszka Jörg , Drepper Thomas 

TITLE=Light-mediated control of gene expression in the anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus using photocaged inducers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.902059

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2022.902059

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=<p>Photocaged inducer molecules, especially photocaged isopropyl-β-<sc>d</sc>-1-thiogalactopyranoside (cIPTG), are well-established optochemical tools for light-regulated gene expression and have been intensively applied in <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> and other bacteria including <italic>Corynebacterium glutamicum, Pseudomonas putida</italic> or <italic>Bacillus subtilis</italic>. In this study, we aimed to implement a light-mediated on-switch for target gene expression in the facultative anoxygenic phototroph <italic>Rhodobacter capsulatus</italic> by using different cIPTG variants under both phototrophic and non-phototrophic cultivation conditions. We could demonstrate that especially 6-nitropiperonyl-(NP)-cIPTG can be applied for light-mediated induction of target gene expression in this facultative phototrophic bacterium. Furthermore, we successfully applied the optochemical approach to induce the intrinsic carotenoid biosynthesis to showcase engineering of a cellular function. Photocaged IPTG thus represents a light-responsive tool, which offers various promising properties suitable for future applications in biology and biotechnology including automated multi-factorial control of cellular functions as well as optimization of production processes.</p>