Retinal-binding proteins: new bioenergetic and photosensory mechanisms

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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.