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Tu W, Saeed H, Huang WE. Rhodopsin-based light-harvesting system for sustainable synthetic biology. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14521. [PMID: 38949508 PMCID: PMC11215838 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Rhodopsins, a diverse class of light-sensitive proteins found in various life domains, have attracted considerable interest for their potential applications in sustainable synthetic biology. These proteins exhibit remarkable photochemical properties, undergoing conformational changes upon light absorption that drive a variety of biological processes. Exploiting rhodopsin's natural properties could pave the way for creating sustainable and energy-efficient technologies. Rhodopsin-based light-harvesting systems offer innovative solutions to a few key challenges in sustainable engineering, from bioproduction to renewable energy conversion. In this opinion article, we explore the recent advancements and future possibilities of employing rhodopsins for sustainable engineering, underscoring the transformative potential of these biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiming Tu
- Department of Engineering ScienceUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Haris Saeed
- Department of Engineering ScienceUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Wei E. Huang
- Department of Engineering ScienceUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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2
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Sela M, Church JR, Schapiro I, Schneidman-Duhovny D. RhoMax: Computational Prediction of Rhodopsin Absorption Maxima Using Geometric Deep Learning. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4630-4639. [PMID: 38829021 PMCID: PMC11200256 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Microbial rhodopsins (MRs) are a diverse and abundant family of photoactive membrane proteins that serve as model systems for biophysical techniques. Optogenetics utilizes genetic engineering to insert specialized proteins into specific neurons or brain regions, allowing for manipulation of their activity through light and enabling the mapping and control of specific brain areas in living organisms. The obstacle of optogenetics lies in the fact that light has a limited ability to penetrate biological tissues, particularly blue light in the visible spectrum. Despite this challenge, most optogenetic systems rely on blue light due to the scarcity of red-shifted opsins. Finding additional red-shifted rhodopsins would represent a major breakthrough in overcoming the challenge of limited light penetration in optogenetics. However, determining the wavelength absorption maxima for rhodopsins based on their protein sequence is a significant hurdle. Current experimental methods are time-consuming, while computational methods lack accuracy. The paper introduces a new computational approach called RhoMax that utilizes structure-based geometric deep learning to predict the absorption wavelength of rhodopsins solely based on their sequences. The method takes advantage of AlphaFold2 for accurate modeling of rhodopsin structures. Once trained on a balanced train set, RhoMax rapidly and precisely predicted the maximum absorption wavelength of more than half of the sequences in our test set with an accuracy of 0.03 eV. By leveraging computational methods for absorption maxima determination, we can drastically reduce the time needed for designing new red-shifted microbial rhodopsins, thereby facilitating advances in the field of optogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meitar Sela
- The
Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Jonathan R. Church
- Fritz
Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics Research, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Igor Schapiro
- Fritz
Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics Research, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Dina Schneidman-Duhovny
- The
Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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3
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Sun C, Fan Q, Xie R, Luo C, Hu B, Wang Q. Tetherless Optical Neuromodulation: Wavelength from Orange-red to Mid-infrared. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-024-01179-1. [PMID: 38372931 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01179-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics, a technique that employs light for neuromodulation, has revolutionized the study of neural mechanisms and the treatment of neurological disorders due to its high spatiotemporal resolution and cell-type specificity. However, visible light, particularly blue and green light, commonly used in conventional optogenetics, has limited penetration in biological tissue. This limitation necessitates the implantation of optical fibers for light delivery, especially in deep brain regions, leading to tissue damage and experimental constraints. To overcome these challenges, the use of orange-red and infrared light with greater tissue penetration has emerged as a promising approach for tetherless optical neuromodulation. In this review, we provide an overview of the development and applications of tetherless optical neuromodulation methods with long wavelengths. We first discuss the exploration of orange-red wavelength-responsive rhodopsins and their performance in tetherless optical neuromodulation. Then, we summarize two novel tetherless neuromodulation methods using near-infrared light: upconversion nanoparticle-mediated optogenetics and photothermal neuromodulation. In addition, we discuss recent advances in mid-infrared optical neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Spectroscopy of Xi'an, Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, XIOPM, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Qi Fan
- Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Spectroscopy of Xi'an, Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, XIOPM, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Rougang Xie
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Ceng Luo
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Bingliang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Spectroscopy of Xi'an, Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, XIOPM, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Quan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Spectroscopy of Xi'an, Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, XIOPM, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China.
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4
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Chazan A, Das I, Fujiwara T, Murakoshi S, Rozenberg A, Molina-Márquez A, Sano FK, Tanaka T, Gómez-Villegas P, Larom S, Pushkarev A, Malakar P, Hasegawa M, Tsukamoto Y, Ishizuka T, Konno M, Nagata T, Mizuno Y, Katayama K, Abe-Yoshizumi R, Ruhman S, Inoue K, Kandori H, León R, Shihoya W, Yoshizawa S, Sheves M, Nureki O, Béjà O. Phototrophy by antenna-containing rhodopsin pumps in aquatic environments. Nature 2023; 615:535-540. [PMID: 36859551 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05774-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Energy transfer from light-harvesting ketocarotenoids to the light-driven proton pump xanthorhodopsins has been previously demonstrated in two unique cases: an extreme halophilic bacterium1 and a terrestrial cyanobacterium2. Attempts to find carotenoids that bind and transfer energy to abundant rhodopsin proton pumps3 from marine photoheterotrophs have thus far failed4-6. Here we detected light energy transfer from the widespread hydroxylated carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein to the retinal moiety of xanthorhodopsins and proteorhodopsins using functional metagenomics combined with chromophore extraction from the environment. The light-harvesting carotenoids transfer up to 42% of the harvested energy in the violet- or blue-light range to the green-light absorbing retinal chromophore. Our data suggest that these antennas may have a substantial effect on rhodopsin phototrophy in the world's lakes, seas and oceans. However, the functional implications of our findings are yet to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Chazan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ishita Das
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Takayoshi Fujiwara
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shunya Murakoshi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Andrey Rozenberg
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ana Molina-Márquez
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Fumiya K Sano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Tanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Patricia Gómez-Villegas
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Shirley Larom
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Alina Pushkarev
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Institute for Biology, Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Partha Malakar
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Masumi Hasegawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
- Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yuya Tsukamoto
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Ishizuka
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Masae Konno
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Takashi Nagata
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yosuke Mizuno
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kota Katayama
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
- OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Rei Abe-Yoshizumi
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sanford Ruhman
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Keiichi Inoue
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hideki Kandori
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
- OptoBioTechnology Research Center, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Rosa León
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Marine International Campus of Excellence (CEIMAR), University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Wataru Shihoya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Susumu Yoshizawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Mordechai Sheves
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Osamu Nureki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Oded Béjà
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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Tu W, Huang WE. Rhodopsin driven microbial CO 2 fixation using synthetic biology design. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:126-130. [PMID: 36221243 PMCID: PMC10092888 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Weiming Tu
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Wei E Huang
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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6
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Large-scale multimodal surface neural interfaces for primates. iScience 2022; 26:105866. [PMID: 36647381 PMCID: PMC9840154 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Deciphering the function of neural circuits can help with the understanding of brain function and treating neurological disorders. Progress toward this goal relies on the development of chronically stable neural interfaces capable of recording and modulating neural circuits with high spatial and temporal precision across large areas of the brain. Advanced innovations in designing high-density neural interfaces for small animal models have enabled breakthrough discoveries in neuroscience research. Developing similar neurotechnology for larger animal models such as nonhuman primates (NHPs) is critical to gain significant insights for translation to humans, yet still it remains elusive due to the challenges in design, fabrication, and system-level integration of such devices. This review focuses on implantable surface neural interfaces with electrical and optical functionalities with emphasis on the required technological features to realize scalable multimodal and chronically stable implants to address the unique challenges associated with nonhuman primate studies.
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Alonso-Reyes DG, Galván FS, Irazoqui JM, Amadio A, Tschoeke D, Thompson F, Albarracín VH, Farias ME. Dissecting Light Sensing and Metabolic Pathways on the Millimeter Scale in High-Altitude Modern Stromatolites. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02112-7. [PMID: 36161499 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02112-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Modern non-lithifying stromatolites on the shore of the volcanic lake Socompa (SST) in the Puna are affected by several extreme conditions. The present study assesses for the first time light utilization and functional metabolic stratification of SST on a millimeter scale through shotgun metagenomics. In addition, a scanning-electron-microscopy approach was used to explore the community. The analysis on SST unveiled the profile of a photosynthetic mat, with cyanobacteria not directly exposed to light, but placed just below a high-UV-resistant community. Calvin-Benson and 3-hydroxypropinate cycles for carbon fixation were abundant in upper, oxic layers, while the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway was dominant in the deeper anoxic strata. The high abundance of genes for UV-screening and oxidant-quenching pigments and CPF (photoreactivation) in the UV-stressed layers could indicate that the zone itself works as a UV shield. There is a remarkable density of sequences associated with photoreceptors in the first two layers. Also, genetic evidence of photosynthesis split in eukaryotic (layer 1) and prokaryotic (layer 2). Photoheterotrophic bacteria, aerobic photoautotrophic bacteria, and anaerobic photoautotrophic bacteria coexist by selectively absorbing different parts of the light spectrum (blue, red, and IR respectively) at different positions of the mat. Genes for oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism account for the microelectrode chemical data and pigment measurements performed in previous publications. We also provide here an explanation for the vertical microbial mobility within the SST described previously. Finally, our study points to SST as ideal modern analogues of ancient ST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gonzalo Alonso-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural Y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME,), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Camino de Sirga s/n, Finca El Manantial, Yerba Buena (4107), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales y Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Fátima Silvina Galván
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural Y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME,), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Camino de Sirga s/n, Finca El Manantial, Yerba Buena (4107), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - José Matías Irazoqui
- Instituto de Investigación de La Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Rafaela, Argentina
| | - Ariel Amadio
- Instituto de Investigación de La Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Rafaela, Argentina
| | - Diogo Tschoeke
- Institute of Biology and Coppe, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabiano Thompson
- Institute of Biology and Coppe, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Virginia Helena Albarracín
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ultraestructural Y Molecular, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica (CIME,), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Camino de Sirga s/n, Finca El Manantial, Yerba Buena (4107), San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - María Eugenia Farias
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas (LIMLA), Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales y Microbiológicos (PROIMI), CCT, CONICET, Tucumán, Argentina
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8
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de Grip WJ, Ganapathy S. Rhodopsins: An Excitingly Versatile Protein Species for Research, Development and Creative Engineering. Front Chem 2022; 10:879609. [PMID: 35815212 PMCID: PMC9257189 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.879609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The first member and eponym of the rhodopsin family was identified in the 1930s as the visual pigment of the rod photoreceptor cell in the animal retina. It was found to be a membrane protein, owing its photosensitivity to the presence of a covalently bound chromophoric group. This group, derived from vitamin A, was appropriately dubbed retinal. In the 1970s a microbial counterpart of this species was discovered in an archaeon, being a membrane protein also harbouring retinal as a chromophore, and named bacteriorhodopsin. Since their discovery a photogenic panorama unfolded, where up to date new members and subspecies with a variety of light-driven functionality have been added to this family. The animal branch, meanwhile categorized as type-2 rhodopsins, turned out to form a large subclass in the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors and are essential to multiple elements of light-dependent animal sensory physiology. The microbial branch, the type-1 rhodopsins, largely function as light-driven ion pumps or channels, but also contain sensory-active and enzyme-sustaining subspecies. In this review we will follow the development of this exciting membrane protein panorama in a representative number of highlights and will present a prospect of their extraordinary future potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem J. de Grip
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Department of Biophysical Organic Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Srividya Ganapathy
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
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Sephus CD, Fer E, Garcia AK, Adam ZR, Schwieterman EW, Kaçar B. Earliest photic zone niches probed by ancestral microbial rhodopsins. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6582242. [PMID: 35524714 PMCID: PMC9117797 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
For billions of years, life has continuously adapted to dynamic physical conditions near the Earth’s surface. Fossils and other preserved biosignatures in the paleontological record are the most direct evidence for reconstructing the broad historical contours of this adaptive interplay. However, biosignatures dating to Earth’s earliest history are exceedingly rare. Here, we combine phylogenetic inference of primordial rhodopsin proteins with modeled spectral features of the Precambrian Earth environment to reconstruct the paleobiological history of this essential family of photoactive transmembrane proteins. Our results suggest that ancestral microbial rhodopsins likely acted as light-driven proton pumps and were spectrally tuned toward the absorption of green light, which would have enabled their hosts to occupy depths in a water column or biofilm where UV wavelengths were attenuated. Subsequent diversification of rhodopsin functions and peak absorption frequencies was enabled by the expansion of surface ecological niches induced by the accumulation of atmospheric oxygen. Inferred ancestors retain distinct associations between extant functions and peak absorption frequencies. Our findings suggest that novel information encoded by biomolecules can be used as “paleosensors” for conditions of ancient, inhabited niches of host organisms not represented elsewhere in the paleontological record. The coupling of functional diversification and spectral tuning of this taxonomically diverse protein family underscores the utility of rhodopsins as universal testbeds for inferring remotely detectable biosignatures on inhabited planetary bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathryn D Sephus
- NASA Center for Early Life and Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Evrim Fer
- NASA Center for Early Life and Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amanda K Garcia
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Zachary R Adam
- Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Edward W Schwieterman
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Betül Kaçar
- NASA Center for Early Life and Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Govorunova EG, Sineshchekov OA, Spudich JL. Emerging Diversity of Channelrhodopsins and Their Structure-Function Relationships. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:800313. [PMID: 35140589 PMCID: PMC8818676 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.800313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cation and anion channelrhodopsins (CCRs and ACRs, respectively) from phototactic algae have become widely used as genetically encoded molecular tools to control cell membrane potential with light. Recent advances in polynucleotide sequencing, especially in environmental samples, have led to identification of hundreds of channelrhodopsin homologs in many phylogenetic lineages, including non-photosynthetic protists. Only a few CCRs and ACRs have been characterized in detail, but there are indications that ion channel function has evolved within the rhodopsin superfamily by convergent routes. The diversity of channelrhodopsins provides an exceptional platform for the study of structure-function evolution in membrane proteins. Here we review the current state of channelrhodopsin research and outline perspectives for its further development.
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Lehtinen K, Nokia MS, Takala H. Red Light Optogenetics in Neuroscience. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:778900. [PMID: 35046775 PMCID: PMC8761848 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.778900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Optogenetics, a field concentrating on controlling cellular functions by means of light-activated proteins, has shown tremendous potential in neuroscience. It possesses superior spatiotemporal resolution compared to the surgical, electrical, and pharmacological methods traditionally used in studying brain function. A multitude of optogenetic tools for neuroscience have been created that, for example, enable the control of action potential generation via light-activated ion channels. Other optogenetic proteins have been used in the brain, for example, to control long-term potentiation or to ablate specific subtypes of neurons. In in vivo applications, however, the majority of optogenetic tools are operated with blue, green, or yellow light, which all have limited penetration in biological tissues compared to red light and especially infrared light. This difference is significant, especially considering the size of the rodent brain, a major research model in neuroscience. Our review will focus on the utilization of red light-operated optogenetic tools in neuroscience. We first outline the advantages of red light for in vivo studies. Then we provide a brief overview of the red light-activated optogenetic proteins and systems with a focus on new developments in the field. Finally, we will highlight different tools and applications, which further facilitate the use of red light optogenetics in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimmo Lehtinen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Miriam S. Nokia
- Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Research, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Heikki Takala
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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Abstract
Rhodopsins are photoreceptive membrane proteins consisting of a common heptahelical transmembrane architecture that contains a retinal chromophore. Rhodopsin was first discovered in the animal retina in 1876, but a different type of rhodopsin, bacteriorhodopsin, was reported to be present in the cell membrane of an extreme halophilic archaeon, Halobacterium salinarum, 95 years later. Although these findings were made by physiological observation of pigmented tissue and cell bodies, recent progress in genomic and metagenomic analyses has revealed that there are more than 10,000 microbial rhodopsins and 9000 animal rhodopsins with large diversity and tremendous new functionality. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster, we provide an overview of the diversity of functions, structures, color discrimination mechanisms and optogenetic applications of these two rhodopsin families, and will also highlight the third distinctive rhodopsin family, heliorhodopsin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Nagata
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Keiichi Inoue
- The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
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