Editorial: Fiat lux! Light-driven and light-controlled synthetic biological parts, devices, systems and processes

In the context of synthetic biology, light and other electromagnetic radiation provide a powerful tool to drive and control parts, devices, systems and processes with high target specificity and switching efficiency. Thanks to its peculiar features in terms of wavelength and energy, light allows spatio-temporal control of molecular and supramolecular systems that ultimately lead to (bio)chemical and (bio)logical behavior—such as optogenetic control and energy fueling. In the recent years, a large number of studies have been devoted to the design and construction of molecular systems, either in vitro or in situ/in vivo, that convincingly show the versatility and the power of such approaches. Examples involve both visible and near-infrared light in bacteria, yeast, mammalian and plant cells. The light control of gene expression has been used for triggering processes such as signaling, recombination, initiation of translation, production of chemicals and peptides, apoptosis, intracellular transport, and cell differentiation. Additional cases refer to protein localization distribution, protein degradation, protein homo- and hetero-dimerization, alteration of a protein’s metal binding behaviour, and also protein coacervation. Complex processes including biofilm formation, cell differentiation and morphogenesis have been considered. All these achievements excitingly impact current synthetic biology research because of the intrinsic versatility and power of light, which makes it easier to drive and control a large number and variety of processes. The Research Topic “Fiat Lux! Light-Driven and Light-Controlled Synthetic Biological Parts, Devices, Systems and Processes”, which was focused on the above-mentioned approaches, collects seven articles (five reviews, one perspective article, one original research paper) that deals with the subject of light-driven and light-controlled synthetic systems and processes, in particular optogenetics, but also related approaches. The resulting picture provides a cross section of the state of the art in the field, and can inspire and guide further investigations.