title: Photothermal genetic engineering.
abstract: Optical methods for manipulation of cellular function have enabled deconstruction of genetic and neural circuits in vitro and in vivo. Plasmonic gold nanomaterials provide an alternative platform for external optical manipulation of genetic circuits. The tunable absorption of gold nanoparticles in the infrared spectral region and straightforward surface functionalization has led to applications in intracellular delivery and photorelease of short RNAs, recently enabling bidirectional photothermal modulation of specific genes via RNA interference (RNAi). We discuss recent advances in optical gene circuit engineering and plasmonic nanomaterials, as well as future research opportunities and challenges in photothermal gene manipulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering & Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Polina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anikeeva
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deisseroth
mesh_terms: D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000639:trends*; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation