title: Synthetic gene involving azobenzene-tethered T7 promoter for the photocontrol of gene expression by visible light.
abstract: In the present study, we demonstrate photoregulation of gene expression in a cell-free translation system from a T7 promoter containing two azobenzene derivatives at specific positions. As photoswitches, we prepared azobenzene-4'-carboxlyic acid (Azo) and 2,6-dimethylazobenzene-4'-carboxylic acid (DM-Azo), which were isomerized from trans to cis upon irradiation with UV light (λ < 370 nm), and 4-methylthioazobenzene-4'-carboxylic acid (S-Azo) and 2,6-dimethyl-4-(methylthio)azobenzene-4'-carobxylic acid (S-DM-Azo), which were cis-isomerized by irradiation with 400 nm visible light. Expression of green fluorescent protein from a promoter modified with S-Azo or S-DM-Azo could be induced by harmless visible light whereas that from a promoter modified with Azo or DM-Azo was induced only by UV light (340-360 nm). Thus, efficient photoregulation of green fluorescent protein production was achieved in a cell-free translation system with visible light without photodamage.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: §School of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Yushan-lu 5, Shinanqu, Qingdao 266003, China.
authors.forename: Xingguo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asanuma
mesh_terms: D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D014764:Viral Proteins; C062210:bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C009850:azobenzene
keywords: azobenzene; d-threoninol scaffold; gene expression; photoactivated; transcription; visible light