Enlightened enzymes: strategies to create novel photoresponsive proteins

The photocontrol of protein functions, enzymatic reactions, and concomitantly biological activities in living cells and organisms represents a rapidly developing and interdisciplinary field of research at the interface of chemistry and biology. The nature of light allows for a non-invasive gearing with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution to exert control at the molecular and cellular level. This concept article aims to illustrate some of the classic as well as recently developed strategies employing protein-engineering and chemical-biological hybrid methods to achieve photocontrol of biological processes. Recent cell biological examples will be highlighted and possible biotechnological applications will be presented.