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Azobenzene: An Optical Switch for in vivo Experiments
Author(s) -
Wachtveitl Josef,
Zumbusch Andreas
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.201100185
Subject(s) - azobenzene , isomerization , photochromism , in vivo , molecular switch , chemistry , biophysics , optical switch , mechanism (biology) , gene , stereochemistry , photochemistry , materials science , molecule , biology , genetics , biochemistry , catalysis , optoelectronics , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Changing your genes: Isomerization around the central NN double bond of an azobenzene causes pronounced structural and spectral differences between the trans and the cis isomers. This can be used as a photochromic switching mechanism, possibly to selectively switch gene expression in a spatially and temporally controlled manner in living organisms.