Microbial rhodopsins, as per a new study, are proposed to be major light capturers in the ocean.
Details
Estimates suggest they may absorb as much light as chlorophyll-based photosynthesis in the sea, which also captures light to generate energy and food.
However, their biological role in these organisms was unclear before the study.
Microbial rhodopsins
Microbial rhodopsins, also known as bacterial rhodopsins, are retinal-binding proteins that provide light-dependent ion transport and sensory functions in halophilic and other bacteria.
They are integral membrane proteins with seven transmembrane helices, the last of which contains the attachment point (a conserved lysine) for the retinal.s
