Biochemical and spectroscopic characterization of the blue-green photoreceptor in Halobacterium halobium

Spectroscopic evidence indicates the presence of a second sensory receptor sR-II in Halobacterium halobium, which causes a repellent response to blue-green light. Reactions with hydroxylamine and NaCNBH3 and reconstitution of the bleached pigment with retinal show that it is very similar to the other retinylidene pigments bacteriorhodopsin, halorhodopsin, and especially the earlier-discovered phototaxis receptor, sensory rhodopsin, renamed sR-I587. The second sensory receptor, sR-II480, has an absorbance maximum at 480 nm and undergoes a cyclic photoreaction with a half-time of approximately 200 msec. Its predominant photocycle intermediate absorbs maximally near 360 nm. The receptor can be detected spectroscopically in the presence of sR-I587 and quantitated through its transient response to 450-nm excitation. It is selectively bleached by low hydroxylamine concentrations that are insufficient to bleach sR-I587 significantly. Its photochemical and phototactic activities can be restored by addition of retinal. The mobility of the receptor, on NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gels, was similar or identical to that of sR-I587 and slightly faster than bacteriorhodopsin, yielding an apparent molecular mass of 23-24 kDa.