Engineering RGB color vision into Escherichia coli
May 22nd, 2017 by Jesus Fernandez-Rodriguez
Nature Chemical Biology 13, 706 (2017). doi:10.1038/nchembio.2390
Authors: Jesus Fernandez-Rodriguez, Felix Moser, Miryoung Song & Christopher A Voigt
Optogenetic tools use colored light to rapidly control gene expression in space and time. We designed a genetically encoded system that gives Escherichia coli the ability to distinguish between red, green, and blue (RGB) light and respond by changing gene expression. We use this system to produce 'color photographs' on bacterial culture plates by controlling pigment production and to redirect metabolic flux by expressing CRISPRi guide RNAs.