De novo design of light-regulated dynamic proteins using deep learning

Abstract

Recent advances in deep learning have enabled accurate design of static protein structures, but the de novo design of protein functions controlled by programmable, intramolecular conformational changes remains an unsolved challenge. Here, we present a general deep learning-guided framework for designing dynamic, multi-domain proteins allosterically regulated by light. By integrating photoresponsive domains into de novo scaffolds, we engineered conformational switches that exhibit precise, reversible structural transitions upon illumination. Structural, spectroscopic, and functional analyses validated our designs and demonstrated precise spatio-temporal optogenetic control of diverse cellular processes, including subcellular localization, intercellular signaling, and population-level behaviors. This work establishes a broadly applicable strategy for encoding long-range allosteric control through designed intramolecular motions, and opens new avenues for programming dynamic protein functions from first principles, with implications for basic research, synthetic biology, and therapeutic development.