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Updated: May 23, 2026

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: July 25, 2014
[Photosensing by membrane-embedded receptors and its application for the life scientists]
1Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan. z47867a@cc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Light is one of the most important energy sources and signals providing critical information to biological systems. The photoreceptor rhodopsin, which possesses retinal chromophore (vitamin A aldehyde) surrounded by seven transmembrane alpha-helices, is widely dispersed in prokaryotes and in eukaryotes. Although rhodopsin molecules work as distinctly different photoreceptors, they can be divided according to their two basic functions such as light-energy conversion and light-signal transduction. Thus rhodopsin molecules have great potential for controlling cellular activity by light. Indeed, a light-energy converter channel rhodopsin is used to control neural activity. From 2001, we have been working on various microbial sensory rhodopsins functioning as light-signal converters. In this review, we will introduce rhodopsin molecules from microbes, and will describe artificial and light-dependent protein expression system in Escherichia coli using Anabeana sensory rhodopsin (ASR). The newly developed tools would be widely useful for life scientists.
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