Abstract

Rhodopsins are a class of intrinsic membrane proteins that act as light transducers. They contain a retinal chromophore that absorbs photons and drives the protein through a series of conformational changes leading to excitation. The bacterium, Halobacterium halobium, synthesizes two such proteins called bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and halorhodopsin (HR) that act as light-driven proton and light-driven chloride ion pumps, respectively. We are studying their molecular mechanism with resonance Raman spectroscopy.

© 1987 Optical Society of America