Functional Diversity of Visual Pigments and Photoreceptor Cells

我们研究了细胞反应和生理功能多样性的分子机制，以动物的光感受系统为模型系统。视紫红质和视锥细胞视色素分子性质的差异是视杆细胞和视锥细胞光响应差异的分子基础。我们通过使用转基因小鼠和广泛的体外实验来表征分子特性的差异。此外，我们证明了独立多样化的视觉蛋白和非视觉蛋白的独特性质，并确定了负责这些性质的氨基酸残基。

We have investigated the molecular mechanisms that underlie the diversity of cell responses and physiological functions, using the photoreceptive system of animals as a model system. Differences in molecular properties between rhodopsin and cone visual pigments are the molecular basis of the differences in photoresponse between rods and cones. We characterized differences in molecular properties by using genetically modified mice and extensive in vitro experiments. Additionally, we demonstrated unique properties of visual and non-visual opsins that have independently diversified, and identified the amino acid residues responsible for these properties.