National University of Singapore researchers engineer multi-color light-controlled yeast

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a yeast strain capable of responding independently to different colors of light. This breakthrough, published in Nature Communications, utilizes optogenetics to control specific genes through light patterns rather than relying on the repeated introduction of chemical inducers.

The team, led by Associate Professor Poh Chueh-Loo, engineered a red light-responsive protein named y-iLight. Unlike previous systems that required additional cofactors or helper molecules, y-iLight functions using chemicals naturally present in yeast, making the process more cost-effective and reliable. By combining this with the EL222 blue light-responsive system, the researchers successfully created two independent gene-expression channels within a single strain.

To demonstrate the practical application, the team controlled two enzymes involved in the production of luteolin, a plant compound. By adjusting the timing and proportions of red and blue light, they could precisely regulate the yeast’s production process. This advancement aims to make yeast-based biomanufacturing—used for producing fuels, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals—more predictable and programmable.