R. Miraftab - Organic Colorants department, Institute for Color Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
F. Nourmohammadian - Organic Colorants department, Institute for Color Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran- Center of Excellence for Color Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
S. Salami - Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

A zobenzene can photoisomerize with UV/Vis light and has been known for almost 100 years but only recently has bee n used to photocontrol of molecular structure and function. By incorporating azo compounds in biological sys tems we can have spatial and temporal control over cellular functions and conformation including peptides, pro teins in vitro and ion channels and receptors in vivo. This is a powerful tool to study living systems. Herein we re port synthesis, properties and photo responses of a novel azo dye: 1-(3-hydroxyphenylazo)-2-naphthol.By attaching this photoswitch to biological systems, the light sensitive molecule is made and this would achieve precise spatiotemporal control over it.

yntheses - Biomolecular photoswitch – Azo dye - Biological application