Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Reporter Genes

Reporter Genes

Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.

In-vitro Mutagenesis

In-vitro Mutagenesis

To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Red-Light-Only Control of Protein-Protein Interactions Using a Cyanobacteriochrome (UNICYCL).

ACS central science·2026

Same author

Synthetic deconvolution of an auxin-dependent transcriptional code.

Cell·2025

Same author

Cryptochrome 1 promotes photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis by displacing substrates from the COP1 ubiquitin ligase.

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology·2025

Same author

Engineering organoids as cerebral disease models.

Current opinion in biotechnology·2025

Same author

Investigating Ultrafiltration Membranes and Operation Modes for Improved Lentiviral Vector Processing.

Engineering in life sciences·2025

Same author

Image-guided optogenetic spatiotemporal tissue patterning using μPatternScope.

Nature communications·2024

Same journal

Cap 2'-O-methyltransferase CMTR2 regulates male meiosis independent of its methyltransferase activity.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same journal

APE1 binds and processes abasic sites present in i-motif DNA and cooperates with PCBP1 in maintenance of telomeric stability.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same journal

Acquisition of a novel restriction modification system regulates genetic flux and gene expression in the hypervirulent and globally disseminated CC17 lineage of group B Streptococcus.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same journal

Trans-species microRNAs from the parasitic plant Cuscuta campestris specifically avoid loading onto self Argonautes.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same journal

Neurochondrin promotes U5 snRNP maturation by regulating AAR2 release from PRPF8.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same journal

Elongationless start-stop elements are stress-resilient translation gates that are more repressive than uTranslons.

Nucleic acids research·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Transfection, Selection, and Colony-picking of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells TALEN-targeted with a GFP Gene into the AAVS1 Safe Harbor

Transfection, Selection, and Colony-picking of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells TALEN-targeted with a GFP Gene into the AAVS1 Safe Harbor

Published on: February 1, 2015

Optogenetic BlueGENEs engineered into a human safe harbor locus.

Alexander Geidies¹, Marius Nieke¹, Nils Witte¹

¹Institute of Synthetic Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.

Nucleic Acids Research

|January 14, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

BlueGENEs offers optimized optogenetic gene switches for stable, precise engineering of mammalian cell lines. This breakthrough enables advanced control over synthetic tissues and in vitro models for diverse research applications.

More Related Videos

Rapid and Efficient Generation of Recombinant Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by Recombinase-mediated Cassette Exchange in the AAVS1 Locus

Rapid and Efficient Generation of Recombinant Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by Recombinase-mediated Cassette Exchange in the AAVS1 Locus

Published on: November 20, 2016

Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 6, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Transfection, Selection, and Colony-picking of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells TALEN-targeted with a GFP Gene into the AAVS1 Safe Harbor

Transfection, Selection, and Colony-picking of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells TALEN-targeted with a GFP Gene into the AAVS1 Safe Harbor

Published on: February 1, 2015

Rapid and Efficient Generation of Recombinant Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by Recombinase-mediated Cassette Exchange in the AAVS1 Locus

Rapid and Efficient Generation of Recombinant Human Pluripotent Stem Cells by Recombinase-mediated Cassette Exchange in the AAVS1 Locus

Published on: November 20, 2016

Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 6, 2021

Area of Science:

Synthetic Biology
Tissue Engineering
Optogenetics

Background:

Current methods for creating synthetic in vitro tissues lack spatial control.
Optogenetic approaches offer spatial and temporal control but require stable genomic engineering for long-term use and high resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an optimized optogenetic gene switch system, named BlueGENEs, for stable and precise engineering of mammalian cell lines.
To enable advanced control over cellular functions for applications in synthetic tissue engineering and in vitro model development.

Main Methods:

Development of BlueGENEs, a set of optimized optogenetic gene switches.
Utilized a designer endonuclease and phage integrase for precision engineering into the human AAVS1 safe harbor locus, ensuring stable cell line generation.
Combined optogenetic switches with synthetic promoters and selection strategies for broad applicability.

Main Results:

Generated stable human cell lines with BlueGENEs for optical control of apoptosis, 3D tissue formation, and cytoskeletal remodeling.
Demonstrated successful integration of optogenetically engineered cells with bioprinting technologies.
Overcame gene-disruptive effects associated with random gene delivery, enabling reproducible cell line development.

Conclusions:

BlueGENEs provide a robust platform for rapid, stable cell line generation and precise genomic engineering.
The system facilitates optical control of cellular behaviors, advancing the synthesis of de novo and patient-derived in vitro models.
BlueGENEs hold significant potential for future developments in optogenetic tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.