title: Proteorhodopsins: an array of physiological roles?
abstract: Metagenomic analyses have revealed widespread and diverse retinal-binding rhodopsin proteins (named proteorhodopsins) among numerous marine bacteria and archaea, which has challenged the notion that solar energy can only enter marine ecosystems by chlorophyll-based photosynthesis. Most marine proteorhodopsins share structural and functional similarities with archaeal bacteriorhodopsins, which generate proton motive force via light-activated proton pumping, thereby ultimately powering ATP production. This suggests an energetic role for proteorhodopsins. However, results from a growing number of investigations do not readily fit this model, which indicates that proteorhodopsins could have a range of physiological functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Wrigley Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0371, USA. fuhrman@usc.edu
authors.forename: Jed A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fuhrman
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Schwalbach
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stingl
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D017753:Ecosystem; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D008386:Marine Biology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018462:Photobiology; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D025604:Rhodopsins, Microbial
chemical_list: D025604:Rhodopsins, Microbial; C413548:proteorhodopsin; D012243:Rhodopsin