Biochim Biophys Acta 2014 May 01;18375:614-25. doi: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2013.09.010.

Proteorhodopsin.

???displayArticle.abstract???
Proteorhodopsins are the most abundant retinal based photoreceptors and their phototrophic function might be relevant in marine ecosystems. Here, we describe their remarkable molecular properties with a special focus on the green absorbing variant. Its distinct features include a high pKa value of the primary proton acceptor stabilized through an interaction with a conserved histidine, a long-range interaction between the cytoplasmic EF loop and the chromophore entailing a particular mode of color tuning and a variable proton pumping vectoriality with complex voltage-dependence. The proteorhodopsin family represents a profound example for structure-function relationships. Especially the development of a biophysical understanding of green proteorhodopsin is an excellent example for the unique opportunities offered by a combined approach of advanced spectroscopic and electrophysiological methods. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Retinal Proteins-You can teach an old dog new tricks.

???displayArticle.pubmedLink??? 24060527
???displayArticle.link??? Biochim Biophys Acta