Photochemistry of pharaonis phoborhodopsin and its interaction with the transducer

Phoborhodopsin (pR or sensory rhodopsin II, sRII; the absorption maximum of ∼ 500 nm) is a retinoid protein and works as a photoreceptor of the negative phototaxis of Halobacterium salinarum. pharaonis phoborhodopsin (ppR or pharaonis sensory rhodopsin II, psRII) is a corresponding protein of Natronobacterium pharaonis. These sensory proteins form a complex with a cognate transducer protein in the membrane, and this complex transmits the light-signal to the cytoplasm to evoke avoidance reaction from blue-green light. Recently, the functional expression in Escherichia coli membrane of ppR was achieved, which can afford a large amount of the protein and enables mutant studies to clarify the role of various amino acid residues. A truncated transducer which can bind to ppR is also expressed in Escherichia. coli membrane. In this article, we will review properties of ppR mainly using observations of our laboratory; which contains photochemistry (photocycle), light-driven proton uptake, release and transport, F -helix titling during photocycle and association of the transducer.