Molecular mechanisms in light-driven anion pump of halorhodopsin

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Halorhodopsin in the cytoplasmic membrane of highly halophilic archaea functions as an inward-directed light-driven Cl- pump. To address the pump mechanism, we performed analyses using the wild-type and single amino acid mutants. The results can be summarized as follows : (1) acidic and aromatic residues in the vicinity of the active site play an essential roll in early step of the Cl- transport, (2) Cldependent equilibrium of photo-intermediates after flash excitation represents the Clreleasing process at the cytoplasmic side, (3) transient hydration of the cytoplasmic channel stabilizes the Cl- releasing state.