About this Research Topic
The majority of known living beings existing on our planet evolved to perceive and respond to basic stimuli in order to survive. Among these stimuli, light occupies a prominent place, regulating different essential metabolic processes. Thereby, an adaptation to the conditions brought about by the rotation of earth, day and night is achieved. These adaptations occur in all kingdoms of life, from prokaryotes to humans. Influences of light and/or circadian rhythms on metabolic processes is gaining interest recently – both from an ecological point of view and from the industrial perspective. Microbes, as simple organisms, are excellent models for tackling these processes, from light signal perception, to signal transduction mechanisms and to the regulation of different metabolic pathways.
This Research Topic will highlight current advances obtained in the microbes’ reactions to light stimuli, but also those brought about due to circadian rhythmicity, with respect to the metabolic changes unleashed in microbes. In particular, a focus will be on non-photosynthetic bacteria and fungi and their metabolic adaptations to light in the ecosystem as well as potentially in the controlled environment of a biotechnological fermenter. We would like to integrate the reactions that affect metabolic processes and routes with potential biotechnological interest in the short and medium term. Therefore we welcome studies on light response and its regulation by signalling pathways leading to metabolic adaptation to application of light response in synthetic biology to critical issues to consider in strain improvement and/or industrial applications of microbes.
For the present Research Topic we welcomes original research, as well as perspective, review and mini-review articles with a light-dependent perspective on metabolic processes.
Specifically, themes of the research and review papers of the current issue could include (but are not limited to):
• Investigations about mechanisms involved in light perception in fungi and bacteria
• Functional evaluation of novel molecules and mechanisms involved in light signal transduction
• Metabolic alterations influencing the extent or direction of light response
• Characterization of light modulated regulators impacting metabolic pathways
• Transcriptomic changes triggered by light in microbes
• Cutting-edge technologies in the analysis of the metabolic effect of light regulation
• Investigations about genome dynamics in the evolution of light perception
• Comparative genome analysis of proteins involved in light regulation of metabolism
• Synthetic biology and biotechnological applications of light response
• Developmental aspects of light response in the background of metabolism
This Research Topic will highlight current advances obtained in the microbes’ reactions to light stimuli, but also those brought about due to circadian rhythmicity, with respect to the metabolic changes unleashed in microbes. In particular, a focus will be on non-photosynthetic bacteria and fungi and their metabolic adaptations to light in the ecosystem as well as potentially in the controlled environment of a biotechnological fermenter. We would like to integrate the reactions that affect metabolic processes and routes with potential biotechnological interest in the short and medium term. Therefore we welcome studies on light response and its regulation by signalling pathways leading to metabolic adaptation to application of light response in synthetic biology to critical issues to consider in strain improvement and/or industrial applications of microbes.
For the present Research Topic we welcomes original research, as well as perspective, review and mini-review articles with a light-dependent perspective on metabolic processes.
Specifically, themes of the research and review papers of the current issue could include (but are not limited to):
• Investigations about mechanisms involved in light perception in fungi and bacteria
• Functional evaluation of novel molecules and mechanisms involved in light signal transduction
• Metabolic alterations influencing the extent or direction of light response
• Characterization of light modulated regulators impacting metabolic pathways
• Transcriptomic changes triggered by light in microbes
• Cutting-edge technologies in the analysis of the metabolic effect of light regulation
• Investigations about genome dynamics in the evolution of light perception
• Comparative genome analysis of proteins involved in light regulation of metabolism
• Synthetic biology and biotechnological applications of light response
• Developmental aspects of light response in the background of metabolism
Keywords: Light, sensory receptors, signal transduction, metabolic pathways, microbes
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
