ABSTRACT
Programmed cell death is characterized by precise signaling cascades which are executed by a diverse array of interconnected proteins. Disruption of these pathways might lead to uncontrolled cell death and associate with many diseases. The non-opsin-based light-sensitive proteins have been widely used in various applications to manipulate physiological processes. The intervention of optogenetics on the basis of programmed cell death signaling provides new ideas for precise control of cell death and study of regulation mechanism. In this chapter, we focus mainly on progress towards engineering of non-opsin-based optogenetics, and their applications in light induced programmed cell death, including apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis.
