Life, evolution, and the pursuit of single photon sensitivity

Evolutionary forces have designed a large family of rod and cone photoreceptors, each member of which suits the lifestyle requirements and circadian patterns of a particular species. The three-segment architecture of signal transduction is conspicuous in the biochemistry of photoreceptors and supports their demonstrated properties of extreme sensitivity, low noise levels, extended dynamic range, and light adaptation. The designs elaborated by evolution reflect a gradual process of modification, with the sequential elaboration of layers of control and refinements in control. The end results of this long evolutionary labor are the functional efficiency and dynamic range that give the rod its utility. Our conceptual problems in deriving observed rod properties from the collective features of known rod gene products may well give way when we have learned more about the true composition and topology of the outer segment gene set and both bound and free nucleotide concentrations. The invertebrates have developed alternative solutions to the problems of photoreceptor sensitivity and wide dynamic range. The vertebrate rod represents a truly optimized way to capture and interpret low-intensity photon signals. One may anticipate, with some enthusiasm, those molecular and kinetic data that will permit an understanding of how cones differ from rods and how release from the requirement for single photon detection has shaped the design of this wavelength-specific companion photoreceptor. The utilization by evolution of the three-segment architecture of GTP-dependent signal transduction for other modalities of sensory perception, such as olfaction (Lancet et al., this volume) and gustation (Jones et al., this volume), is certainly a reasonable and successful choice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)