Photoswitchable Peptides and Proteins

Peptides and proteins are key components of cellular and intercellular processes in every living organism. Selective ways to control their activity enable researchers to precisely dissect their particular roles in the cellular and organismal context. Fusion of molecular photoswitches with peptidic molecules of various complexity level provides a unique method for activity modulation, with the level of spatiotemporal control often inaccessible for the commonly used techniques – small-molecule inhibitors, knockout organisms, or caged compounds. In this chapter, we demonstrate successful applications and known limitations of peptides and proteins containing photochromic motifs, as well as biosynthetic incorporation of photoswitches into biopolymers.