Retinal-binding proteins: new bioenergetic and photosensory mechanisms

光活性蛋白质在微生物、植物和动物中的许多过程中都是至关重要的。这些功能包括能量转换和储存、视觉和其他感光功能，如朝向光的运动或生长、发育的调节、睡眠与一天中的时间同步。其中，光活性蛋白家族中的一个在功能多样化方面尤其多才多艺。以维生素A为基础的蛋白质(视紫红素或视网膜结合蛋白)存在于各种生物体中，只要稍微改变其结构，就可以发挥多种功能。随着微生物视紫红质新的结构和功能的发现，我们正在努力寻找两者之间的联系，通过各种生物物理和生化方法来研究它们的功能机制，从而希望为重要的生物能量和光敏过程建立结构前提条件，以及揭示微生物视紫红质的额外功能。了解阳光如何调节微生物(细菌、真菌和藻类)群落，无论在进化上还是在生态上都很重要。

Photoactive proteins are crucial for many processes occuring in microbes, plants, and animals. These include energy conversion and storage, vision and other photosensory functions such as movement or growth towards light, regulation of development, and synchronization of sleep with time of the day.   One of the families of photoactive proteins is especially versatile in terms of functional diversification. Vitamin A based proteins (rhodopsins or retinal-binding proteins) are found in various groups of living organisms and can perform multiple functions upon a slight modification of their structure. As new structures and functions of microbial rhodopsins are being discovered, we are trying to find the link between the two, studying mechanisms of their functioning by various biophysical and biochemical methods.   As a result, we are hoping to establish structural prerequisites for important bioenergetic and photosensory processess as well as to reveal additional functions of microbial rhodopsins. Understanding how the sunlight can regulate microbial (bacterial, fungal, and algal) communities is important both evolutionary and ecologically.