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Rethinking Opsins.

Roberto Feuda1, Anant K Menon2, Martin C Göpfert3

  • 1Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|February 10, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Opsins are proteins crucial for vision, but they also perform other roles independent of light. This discovery necessitates a re-evaluation of opsin biology, including their structure and evolution.

Keywords:
G protein-coupled receptorsmoonlighting proteinsphotosensitivitysensory cell evolutionsensory transductionvision

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Opsins are traditionally known as the protein components of visual photo-pigments, essential for light detection in animals.
  • Recent research indicates opsins exhibit 'moonlighting' behavior, performing additional functions beyond their canonical role in vision.
  • These functions can be either light-dependent or light-independent, challenging established biological paradigms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the multifaceted nature of opsins as moonlighting proteins.
  • To underscore the implications of these diverse functions for our understanding of opsin biology.
  • To advocate for a revised perspective on opsin expression, structure, classification, and evolutionary pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing literature on opsin functions.
  • Analysis of experimental data demonstrating non-visual roles of opsins.
  • Comparative analysis of opsin sequences and structures across different species.

Main Results:

  • Opsins possess a wide array of physiological functions unrelated to vision.
  • These non-visual functions are mediated through both light-dependent and light-independent mechanisms.
  • Evidence suggests significant evolutionary plasticity in opsin roles.

Conclusions:

  • Opsins are not solely visual pigments but are versatile proteins with diverse biological roles.
  • The moonlighting nature of opsins requires a fundamental reassessment of their expression, structure, classification, and evolutionary history.
  • Future research should explore the full spectrum of opsin functions and their evolutionary implications.