title: Energy storage in the primary photochemical events of rhodopsin and isorhodopsin.
abstract: The energetics associated with the photoequilibrium (Formula: see text) are measured at 77 K by using pulsed-laser photocalorimetry and a range of excitation wavelengths and relative starting concentrations. Enthalpies for the photochemical transformations R hv----B and I hv----B are measured to be delta HRB = 32.2 +/- 0.9 kcal mol-1 and delta HIB = 27.1 +/- 3.2 kcal mol-1, respectively. Although the value of delta HRB is slightly lower than that reported previously by Cooper of 34.7 +/- 2.2 kcal mol-1 [Cooper, A. (1979) Nature (London) 282, 531-533], the two values are in agreement within experimental error. The energy difference delta HRB - delta HIB = 5.1 +/- 3.3 kcal mol-1 is identical within experimental error with the difference in enthalpies of isorhodopsin and rhodopsin [5.2 +/- 2.3; Cooper, A. (1979) FEBS Lett. 100, 382-384]. We suggest that this result is consistent with the theory that bathorhodopsin is a single, common photochemical intermediate connecting rhodopsin and isorhodopsin.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002151:Calorimetry; D002417:Cattle; D007536:Isomerism; D007834:Lasers; D008433:Mathematics; D010777:Photochemistry; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000378:metabolism*; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012374:Rod Cell Outer Segment / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012168:Retinal Pigments; C042882:isorhodopsin; D012243:Rhodopsin