Interaction of Asn105 with the retinal chromophore during photoisomerization of pharaonis phoborhodopsin

pharaonis phoborhodopsin (ppR; also called pharaonis sensory rhodopsin II, psR-II) is a photoreceptor for negative phototaxis in Natronobacterium pharaonis. ppR has a blue-shifted absorption spectrum with a spectral shoulder, which is highly unique for the archaeal rhodopsin family. The primary reaction of ppR is a cis-trans photoisomerization of the retinal chromophore to form the K intermediate, like the well-studied proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (BR). Recent comparative FTIR spectroscopy of the K states in ppR and BR revealed that more extended structural changes take place in ppR than in BR with respect to chromophore distortion and protein structural changes [Kandori, H., Shimono, K., Sudo, Y., Iwamoto, M., Shichida, Y., and Kamo, N. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 9238-9246]. FTIR spectroscopy of the N105D mutant protein reported here assigns the vibrational bands at 1704 and 1700 cm(-1) as C=O stretches of Asn105 in ppR and ppR(K), respectively. A comparative investigation between ppR and BR further reveals that the structure at position 105 in ppR is similar to that of the corresponding position (Asp115) in BR; this observation is supported by the recent X-ray crystallographic structures of ppR [Luecke, H., Schobert, B., Lanyi, J. K., Spudich, E. N., and Spudich, J. L. (2001) Science 293, 1499-1503; Royant, A., Nollert, P., Edman, K., Neutze, R., Landau, E. M., Pebay-Peyroulla, E., and Navarro, J. (2001) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98, 10131-10136]. Nevertheless, structural changes upon photoisomerization at position 105 in ppR are greater than those at position 115 in BR. As a consequence of a unique chromophore-protein interaction in ppR, extended protein structural changes accompanying retinal photoisomerization occur, and these include Asn105 which is approximately 7 A from the retinal chromophore.     

Electrostatic interaction between retinylidene chromophore and opsin in rhodopsin studied by fluorinated rhodopsin analogues

Photochemical reactions of fluorinated rhodopsin analogues (F-rhodopsins) prepared from 10- or 12-fluorinated retinals (10- or 12-F-retinals) and cattle opsin were investigated by means of low-temperature spectrophotometry. On irradiation with blue light at liquid nitrogen temperature (-191 degrees C), the F-rhodopsins were converted to their respective batho intermediates. On warming, they decomposed to their respective fluororetinals and cattle opsin through lumi and meta intermediates. There was a difference in photochemical behavior between batho-12-F-rhodopsin and batho-10-F-rhodopsin. Upon irradiation with red light at -191 degrees C, batho-12-F-rhodopsin was converted to a mixture of 12-F-rhodopsin and 9-cis-12-F-rhodopsin like that of the natural bathorhodopsin, whereas batho-10-F-rhodopsin was not converted to 9-cis-10-F-rhodopsin but only to 10-F-rhodopsin. This fact suggests that the fluorine substituent at the C10 position (i.e., 10-fluoro) of the retinylidene chromophore may interact with the protein moiety during the process of isomerization of the chromophore or in the state of the batho intermediate. On irradiation with blue light at -191 degrees C, 9-cis-10-F-rhodopsin was converted to another bathochromic intermediate that was different in absorption spectrum from batho-10-F-rhodopsin. 9-cis-10-F-rhodopsin was practically "photoinsensitive" at liquid helium temperature (-265 degrees C), whereas 10-F-rhodopsin was converted to a photo-steady-state mixture of 10-F-rhodopsin and batho-10-F-rhodopsin. The specific interaction between the fluorine atom at the C10 position of the retinylidene chromophore and the opsin was discussed in terms of electrostatic interactions.     

Mechanism of isomerization of rhodopsin studied by use of 11-cis-locked rhodopsin analogues excited with a picosecond laser pulse

Primary photochemical behaviors of cattle rhodopsin analogues (Rh5 and Rh7) having cyclopenta- and cycloheptatrienylidene 11-cis-locked retinals (Ret5 and Ret7, respectively) were studied by excitation with a picosecond laser pulse (wavelength 532 nm; duration 21 ps). Picosecond absorption and fluorescence measurements of Rh5 showed formation of only a long-lived excited singlet state (tau l/e = 85 ps). The excited state of the retinal analogue having a five-membered ring was stabilized in protein (Rh5) more than in solvent (protonated Schiff base of Ret5; PSB5). Excitation of Rh7 produced two ground-state photoproducts, Rh7 (580) and Rh7 (630). According to the analysis of photon density dependency, Rh7 (580) was a single-photon product of Rh7, while Rh7 (630) was the photoproduct of Rh7 (580). Fluorescence emitted from a seven-membered ring system like Rh7 or a protonated Schiff base of Ret7 (PSB7) was weaker than that in a corresponding five-membered ring system, especially in protein (Rh7). The difference in photoreaction between Rh5 and Rh7 may originate from the difference in fixation of the 11-cis form. On the basis of the spectral and kinetic similarities between Rh7 (580) and photorhodopsin, a precursor of bathorhodopsin, it was proposed that both have twisted all-trans chromophores in the way of the isomerization. The protein moiety of rhodopsin which fixes the chromophore at both ends seems to accelerate the rotation of the C11-C12 double bond and to prevent it from going through relaxation processes other than the isomerization. This may be a plausible reason why rhodopsin has a large quantum yield (0.67).     

Localization of iodopsin and rod-opsin immunoreactivity in the retina and pineal complex of the river lamprey,Lampetra japonica

Melano-macrophages in the head-kidney, spleen and liver of sea bass and gilthead seabream have been investigated by means of light and electron microscopy, histochemistry and phagocytic assays. The results demonstrate the presence of both free and clustered melano-macrophages (melano-macrophage centres), with similar ultrastructural features. These large cells are PAS-, hemosiderin-and melanin-positive, and contain large, alkaline-and acid phosphatase-positive lysosomes, whose reaction intensity depends on the amount of accumulated pigment. The relationship between the cytochemical features of these lysosomes and the capacity of the melano-macrophages to phagocytose bacteria and latex beads, has been studied. The large melanomacrophage centres have a capsule of flattened cells, whose ultrastructural and cytochemical features are similar to fibroblast-like reticular cells. Melanin is the main accumulated pigment. A subpopulation of head-kidney mononuclear phagocytes engulfs melanin associated with cell debris. The relationship between the origin of the melano-macrophage pigment and the ability of monocytes/macrophages to phagocytise the melanin from melanocytes, is considered. The origin and possible function of melano-macrophage centres are discussed.     

Absorption spectra of intermediates of bacteriorhodopsin measured by laser photolysis at room temperatures

Picosecond laser spectroscopic analysis was applied to determine how many intermediates existed in the primary photochemical process of trans-bacteriorhodopsin (light-adapted bacteriorhodopsin) at room temperature (18°C) and to calculate their absorption spectra. Irradiation of bacteriorhodopsin with a laser pulse (wavelength, 532 nm; pulse width, 25 ps) yielded the K intermediate (K) which was produced through a precursor, having an absorption maximum (λ_max) longer than that of K. K was stable during a picosecond time range (50–900 ps). The λ_max was located at 610 nm and the extinction coefficient (?_max) was 0.92-times that of bacteriorhodopsin. The same K intermediate was produced from bacteriorhodopsin even when it was excited with a high-energy pulse by which a saturation effect was induced. A transient difference spectrum measured at 150 ns after the excitation of bacteriorhodopsin was different in shape from that of the K intermediate, suggesting that an intermediate was formed by thermal decay of K. This intermediate, tentatively called the KL intermediate (KL), had a λ_max at 596 nm and an ?_max 0.80-times that of bacteriorhodopsin. KL decayed to the L intermediate (L) with a time constant of 2.2 μs. L has a λ_max at 543 nm and an ?_max 0.66-times that of bacteriorhodopsin.     

Photoisomerization in Rhodopsin

This article reviews the primary reaction processes in rhodopsin, a photoreceptive pigment for twilight vision. Rhodopsin has an 11-cis retinal as the chromophore, which binds covalently with a lysine residue through a protonated Schiff base linkage. Absorption of a photon by rhodopsin initiates the primary photochemical reaction in the chromophore. Picosecond time-resolved spectroscopy of 11-cis locked rhodopsin analogs revealed that the cis-trans isomerization of the chromophore is the primary reaction in rhodopsin. Then, generation of femtosecond laser pulses in the 1990s made it possible to follow the process of isomerization in real time. Formation of photorhodopsin within 200 fsec was observed by a transient absorption (pump–probe) experiment, which also revealed that the photoisomerization in rhodopsin is a vibrationally coherent process. Femtosecond fluorescence spectroscopy directly captured excited-state dynamics of rhodopsin, so that both coherent reaction process and unreacted excited state were observed. Faster photoreaction of the chromophore in rhodopsin than that in solution implies that the protein environment facilitates the efficient isomerization process. Such contributions of the protein residues have been monitored by infrared spectroscopy of rhodopsin, bathorhodopsin, and isorhodopsin (9-cis rhodopsin) at low temperatures. The crystal structure of bovine rhodopsin recently reported will lead to better understanding of the mechanism in future.     

Formation of hypsorhodopsin at room temperature by picosecond green pulse

Excitation of squid rhodopsin with a single laser pulse (532 nm, 25 ps) at 18 degrees C yielded photorhodopsin, a precursor of bathorhodopsin. In the linear region, no relation between amount of photorhodopsin and excitation-energy hypsorhodopsin was detected, while in a photon saturation region this was observed. The time constant of hypsorhodopsin to bathorhodopsin decay was about 125 ps. Dependencies of formation of photorhodopsin and hypsorhodopsin on the excitation energy suggest that hypsorhodopsins of squid and octopus are formed by a two-photon reaction. No cattle hypsorhodopsin was detected in our experimental conditions.     

Structural changes in the Schiff base region of squid rhodopsin upon photoisomerization studied by low-temperature FTIR spectroscopy

Low-temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is used to study squid rhodopsin at 77 K in investigating structural changes in the Schiff base region upon photoisomerization. The analysis of O-D stretching vibrations in D(2)O revealed that there are more internal water molecules near the retinal chromophore in squid rhodopsin than in bovine rhodopsin. Among nine O-D stretching vibrations of water in squid rhodopsin, eight peaks are identical between rhodopsin and 9-cis-rhodopsin (Iso). On the other hand, the isomer-specific O-D stretch of water was observed for rhodopsin (2451 cm(-)(1)) and Iso (2382 cm(-)(1)). Low frequencies of these bands suggest that the water forms a strong hydrogen bond with a negatively charged counterion. In addition, it was suggested that the hydrogen bond of the Schiff base is weaker in squid rhodopsin than in bacteriorhodopsin and bovine rhodopsin, and squid rhodopsin possessed similar hydrogen bonding strength for the Schiff base among rhodopsin, Iso, and bathorhodopsin. Most vibrational bands in the X-D stretch region originate from water O-D or the Schiff base N-D stretches, suggesting that the hydrogen bonding network in the Schiff base region of squid rhodopsin is composed of only water molecules. On the basis of these results, we propose that squid rhodopsin possesses a "bridge" water between the Schiff base and its counterion as well as squid retinochrome [Furutani, Y., Terakita, A., Shichida, Y., and Kandori, H. (2005) Biochemistry 44, 7988-7997], which is absent in vertebrate rhodopsin [Furutani, Y., Shichida, Y., and Kandori, H. (2003) Biochemistry 42, 9619-9625].     

Photosensitivities of rhodopsin mutants with a displaced counterion

Visual pigments consist of a protein moiety opsin and an 11-cis-retinal chromophore that is covalently bound to the opsin via a Schiff base linkage. They have a high photosensitivity, which can be attributed to the high probability of photon absorption and the high photoisomerization quantum yield of the retinal chromophore. Both of these parameters are regulated by the opsin, though the precise mechanism is unknown. We previously found that counterion residue E113, which stabilizes the proton on the Schiff base, is involved in the efficient photoisomerization in vertebrate visual pigments. To test the positional effect of the counterion on the photon absorption and the photoisomerization, we measured the photosensitivities of a set of mutants of bovine rhodopsin in which the counterion was displaced to position 90, 94, 117, or 292. The molar extinction coefficient was reduced in many of the mutants, leading to reductions in the photosensitivity for monochromatic lights. However, the oscillator strength, the probability of photon absorption integrated over the entire wavenumber range of the absorption band, was relatively similar among the mutants and the wild type. In addition, the quantum yields of the mutants were not markedly different from that of the wild type. These results indicate that the counterion does not need to be located at position 113 for a high photosensitivity for natural light. Interestingly, all of the mutants exhibited greatly increased hydroxylamine sensitivity. This result suggests that the counterion in vertebrate visual pigments is optimally located for the stability of the Schiff base linkage.     

Beta-Arrestin Functionally Regulates the Non-Bleaching Pigment Parapinopsin in Lamprey Pineal

The light response of vertebrate visual cells is achieved by light-sensing proteins such as opsin-based pigments as well as signal transduction proteins, including visual arrestin. Previous studies have indicated that the pineal pigment parapinopsin has evolutionally and physiologically important characteristics. Parapinopsin is phylogenetically related to vertebrate visual pigments. However, unlike the photoproduct of the visual pigment rhodopsin, which is unstable, dissociating from its chromophore and bleaching, the parapinopsin photoproduct is stable and does not release its chromophore. Here, we investigated arrestin, which regulates parapinopsin signaling, in the lamprey pineal organ, where parapinopsin and rhodopsin are localized to distinct photoreceptor cells. We found that beta-arrestin, which binds to stimulated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) other than opsin-based pigments, was localized to parapinopsin-containing cells. This result stands in contrast to the localization of visual arrestin in rhodopsin-containing cells. Beta-arrestin bound to cultured cell membranes containing parapinopsin light-dependently and translocated to the outer segments of pineal parapinopsin-containing cells, suggesting that beta-arrestin binds to parapinopsin to arrest parapinopsin signaling. Interestingly, beta-arrestin colocalized with parapinopsin in the granules of the parapinopsin-expressing cell bodies under light illumination. Because beta-arrestin, which is a mediator of clathrin-mediated GPCR internalization, also served as a mediator of parapinopsin internalization in cultured cells, these results suggest that the granules were generated light-dependently by beta-arrestin-mediated internalization of parapinopsins from the outer segments. Therefore, our findings imply that beta-arrestin-mediated internalization is responsible for eliminating the stable photoproduct and restoring cell conditions to the original dark state. Taken together with a previous finding that the bleaching pigment evolved from a non-bleaching pigment, vertebrate visual arrestin may have evolved from a “beta-like” arrestin by losing its clathrin-binding domain and its function as an internalization mediator. Such changes would have followed the evolution of vertebrate visual pigments, which generate unstable photoproducts that independently decay by chromophore dissociation.