Optogenetics is a powerful approach that enables researchers to use light to dynamically manipulate cellular behavior. Since the first published use of optogenetics in synthetic biology, the field has expanded rapidly, yielding a vast array of tools and applications. Despite its immense potential for achieving high spatiotemporal precision, optogenetics has predominantly been employed as a substitute for conventional chemical inducers. In this short review, we discuss key features of microbial optogenetics and highlight applications for understanding biology, cocultures, bioproduction, biomaterials, and therapeutics, in which optogenetics is more fully utilized to realize goals not previously possible by other methods.

光遗传学是一种强大的方法，使研究人员能够利用光来动态操纵细胞行为。自从首次发表光遗传学在合成生物学中的应用以来，该领域迅速扩展，产生了大量的工具和应用。尽管光遗传学具有实现高时空精度的巨大潜力，但它主要用作传统化学诱导剂的替代品。在这篇简短的综述中，我们讨论了微生物光遗传学的关键特征，并重点介绍了其在理解生物学、共培养、生物生产、生物材料和治疗学方面的应用，其中光遗传学被更充分地利用来实现以前通过其他方法无法实现的目标。