Optogenetics articles from across Nature Portfolio

Using the improved AID method with small protein binders, we achieved ligand-dependent degradation of endogenous proteins. In addition, we developed a novel degrader that can be activated in a light-dependent manner.

The authors develop a neural probe with over 1,000 light emitters arranged along its length and circumference, enabling panoramic 3D optical stimulation across large brain volumes.

A complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) imager that has a 512-pixel silicon image sensor post-processed into a 4.1-mm-long, 120-μm-wide shank with a collinear fibre for illumination can be used to record transient fluorescent signals in deep brain regions at 400 frames per second.

Precise control of covalent protein binding and cleavage in live cells is needed but technically challenging. Here, the authors developed a photoswitchable intein that enables efficient, low background, light-controlled manipulation of covalent bonds in polypeptides.

Implantable energy devices must ensure biocompatibility and electrochemical safety. Here, the authors present a fiber-based supercapacitor with high durability and flexibility, enabling seamless implantation and reliable long-term operation.

The influence that actin network density has on protein penetration and dynamics is unclear. The authors show that the density of actin networks determines how actin-binding proteins interact with and deform the network, and how specific protein functions are regulated by actin density.

Sleep has restorative properties, but the mechanisms remain largely unknown. A study in Drosophila melanogaster reveals that glia dynamically monitor metabolic changes in the brain that accumulate from effortful behavior, triggering the need for rest and sleep.

A near-infrared optogenetic system was developed for the controlled expression of therapeutics in engineered oncolytic bacteria, demonstrating significant anti-tumor efficacy in multiple tumor mouse models. This approach offers a non-invasive, customizable method for targeted solid tumor therapy and has broader applications in engineered living therapeutics.

The monolithic integration of photonic and electronic technology can be used to create miniaturized implantable microsystems capable of high-resolution optical neural control and electrical recording in deep brain regions.

The optogenetic stimulation of pancreatic cholinergic signalling in insulin-deficient mice enhances the glucose-stimulated secretion of insulin and β cell proliferation.

Legnini et al. report in Nature Methods their new optogenetic method for controlling gene expression in organoids that can be coupled with single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.