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Related Experiment Videos

Pineal opsin: a nonvisual opsin expressed in chick pineal

M Max1, P J McKinnon, K J Seidenman

  • 1Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Roche Research Center, Nutley, NJ 07110.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 10, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Researchers cloned pineal opsin (P-opsin), a light-sensitive protein in chickens. This opsin likely evolved early and functions in nonvisual photoreception, with a slow response to ~500 nm light.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Photobiology

Background:

  • The pineal organ plays a role in nonvisual photoreception, regulating circadian rhythms and seasonal behaviors.
  • Opsins are G protein-coupled receptors that mediate light detection.
  • Previous research has primarily focused on retinal opsins involved in vision.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clone and characterize a novel opsin, designated pineal opsin (P-opsin), from the chicken pineal organ.
  • To investigate the evolutionary relationship between P-opsin and retinal opsins.
  • To predict the functional properties of P-opsin based on its amino acid sequence.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to clone the P-opsin gene.
  • Amino acid sequence analysis was performed to compare P-opsin with known opsins.

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  • Structural features of P-opsin were analyzed to predict its light sensitivity and signaling properties.

    • Main Results:

    • Chicken pineal opsin (P-opsin) was successfully cloned and found to be highly expressed in the pineal organ, but not in the retina.
    • P-opsin shares 42-46% amino acid identity with retinal opsins, suggesting early divergence in opsin evolution.
    • Sequence analysis indicates P-opsin is a G protein-linked receptor, likely maximally sensitive to ~500 nm light, mediating a slow phototransduction response.

    Conclusions:

    • P-opsin represents a distinct opsin lineage, likely involved in nonvisual functions of the pineal organ.
    • The predicted biophysical properties of P-opsin are consistent with its role in slow, sustained phototransduction.
    • This study provides insights into the diversity and evolution of opsins beyond the visual system.