Illuminating pathogen-host intimacy through optogenetics.

The birth and subsequent evolution of optogenetics has resulted in an unprecedented advancement in our understanding of the brain. Its outstanding success does usher wider applications; however, the tool remains still largely relegated to neuroscience. Here, we introduce selected aspects of optogenetics with potential applications in infection biology that will not only answer long-standing questions about intracellular pathogens (parasites, bacteria, viruses) but also broaden the dimension of current research in entwined models.

Optogenetic modulation of an adenylate cyclase in Toxoplasma gondii demonstrates a requirement of the parasite cAMP for host-cell invasion and stage differentiation.

Background: cAMP research in intracellular parasites remains underappreciated, and it requires a specific method for cyclic nucleotide regulation.

Results: Optogenetic induction of cAMP in T. gondii affects host-cell invasion, stage-specific expression, and parasite differentiation.