Photoswitch Design

Photocontrol of protein function with azobenzene-based photoswitches promises to be a powerful tool for probing roles of proteins in vivo. In designing azobenzene-based switches for in vivo use, a number of challenges must be met. In this short review, we highlight progress in meeting some of these challenges. In particular, we focus on recent approaches to achieve (1) a large alteration in conformation and thereby function of azobenzene-modified proteins, (2) long photoswitching wavelengths and long-lived cis isomers, and (3) switches that are stable in the reducing intracellular environment.