title: Molecular and evolutionary aspects of microbial sensory rhodopsins.
abstract: Retinal proteins (~rhodopsins) are photochemically reactive membrane-embedded proteins, with seven transmembrane α-helices which bind the chromophore retinal (vitamin A aldehyde). They are widely distributed through all three biological kingdoms, eukarya, bacteria and archaea, indicating the biological significance of the retinal proteins. Light absorption by the retinal proteins triggers a photoisomerization of the chromophore, leading to the biological function, light-energy conversion or light-signal transduction. This article reviews molecular and evolutionary aspects of the light-signal transduction by microbial sensory receptors and their related proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Retinal Proteins - You can teach an old dog new tricks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Frontier Materials, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.affiliation: Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan; Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan; Department of Life and Coordination-Complex Molecular Science, Institute for Molecular Science, 38 Nishigo-Naka, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Japan. Electronic address: z47867a@cc.nagoya-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sudo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001105:Archaea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D017136:Ion Transport; D008027:Light; D055537:Light Signal Transduction; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D025603:Sensory Rhodopsins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D025603:Sensory Rhodopsins; C434450:phototaxis receptor sensory rhodopsin II, Natronobacterium pharaonis; D002338:Carotenoids; D012172:Retinaldehyde
keywords: Membrane protein; Phototaxis; Retinal; Signal transfer