Abstract

The AcCELLerator – optogenetics in viral gene delivery The rapid development of synthetic biology is accompanied by an increased demand for methods that should not only enable the delivery of various genes, but also provide spatial and temporal control over gene expression. We, the iGEM team Freiburg 2014, designed a system which combines the advantages of two biotechnological approaches – the spatio-temporal resolution of optogenetics and the simplicity of gene transfer offered by viruses. In our engineered cell line light induction leads to the expression of a specific receptor serving as the entry point for the viral vector that carries the genes to be inserted. Thus our system allows specifying a subpopulation of cells by illumination at different time points to mark them as targets for viral gene transduction. The unlimited variety of gene cargos and the straightforward application of The AcCELLerator equip future iGEM teams with a fast gene delivery tool for mammalian cells.