Mechanisms of triggering novel light-switchable functions in rhodopsins: enzymes and non-proton cation pumps

微生物紫红质是在各种微生物中发现的光敏蛋白。它们对这些微生物的生物能量学和光传感功能至关重要。在过去的十年中，人们清楚地认识到微生物视紫红质无处不在，并且可能具有比以前认为的更多的功能。特别是，质子泵送的视紫红质可能占阳光生物储存能量的很大一部分。在另一个令人兴奋的最新进展中，几种类型的微生物视紫红质（光开关离子泵和通道）被用于光遗传学，其中动物的神经细胞可以被光控制。本课题拟结合分子生物学、生物化学技术和先进的生物物理技术，如FTIR、NMR等，研究新型微生物紫红质。首先，我们想了解所谓的酶视紫红质，其中视紫红质触发对细胞生物化学重要的酶功能。其次，我们想研究新的细菌泵生理上重要的离子，如钠。这些研究将有助于更好地理解微生物生理学、进化和生态学，并加深我们对膜蛋白生物化学、结构生物学和光生物学的认识。

Microbial rhodopsins are light-sensitive proteins found in various microscopic organisms. They are mostly important for bioenergetics and light-sensing functions of these microbes. In the last decade it became clear that microbial rhodopsins are omnipresent and may have more functions than was believed before. In particular, proton-pumping rhodopsins may account for a significant fraction of the biologically stored energy of the sunlight. In another exciting recent development, several types of microbial rhodopsins (light-switchable ion pumps and channels) are used for optogenetics, where nerve cells of animals can be controlled by light. In this proposal, we want to study new types of microbial rhodopsins, combining techniques of molecular biology and biochemistry with advanced biophysical techniques, such as FTIR and NMR. First, we want to understand so-called enzymerhodopsins, in which rhodopsins trigger enzymatic functions important for cellular biochemistry. Second, we want to study novel bacterial pumps of physiologically important ions, such as sodium. These studies should contribute to better understanding of microbial physiology, evolution, and ecology, as well as to deepen our knowledge of membrane protein biochemistry, structural biology, and photobiology.