Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photosensory retinal pigments in Halobacterium halobium

  • Short Communications
  • Published:
Biophysics of structure and mechanism Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In Halobacterium halobium, nicotine is known to block the synthesis of retinal. Cells grown in the presence of nicotine do not show any photophobic response. Addition of retinal1 or retinal2 restored the photophobic responses to light-increase in the UV and to light-decrease in the green-yellow part of the spectrum. The action spectra of the two retinal2-photosystems were red-shifted by 15–20 nm, compared with the corresponding retinal1 systems. We conclude that each of the two photosystems, PS 370 and PS 565, has its own photosensory pigment with retinal as the chromophoric group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Berg HC, Stoeckenius W (1973) Personal communication

  2. Dencher NA (1974) Functions of Bacteriorhodopsin. In: Jaenicke L (ed) Biochemistry of sensory functions. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 161–163

    Google Scholar 

  3. Dencher NA, Rafferty CN, Sperling W (1976) 13-cis and trans bacteriorhodopsin: Photochemistry and dark equilibrium. Berichte der Kernforschungsanlage Jülien, Jül-1374, pp 1–42

  4. Dencher NA (1978) Light-induced behavioral reactions of Halobacterium halobium: Evidence for two rhodopsins acting as photopigments. In: Caplan SR, Ginzburg M (eds) Energetics and structure of halophilic microorganisms. Elsevier/North Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam, pp 67–88

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dencher NA, Hildebrand E (1979) Sensory transduction in Halobacterium halobium: Retinal protein pigment controls UV-induced behavioral response. Z Naturforsch 34c:841–847

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hildebrand, E, Dencher NA (1975) Two photosystems controlling behavioural responses of Halobacterium halobium. Nature 257:46–48

    Google Scholar 

  7. Howes CD, Batra PP (1970) Accumulation of lycopene and inhibition of cyclic carotenoids in Mycobacterium in the presence of nicotine. Biochim Biophys Acta 222:174–179

    Google Scholar 

  8. Sumper M, Reitmeier H, Oesterhelt D (1976) Biosynthesis of the purple membrane of halobacteria. Angew Chem (Int Ed Engl) 15:187–194

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Neurobiologie der Kernforschungsanlage Jülich GmbH, Postfach 1913, D-5170, Jülich, Federal Republic of Germany

    Walter Sperling & Angelika Schimz

Authors
  1. Walter Sperling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Angelika Schimz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sperling, W., Schimz, A. Photosensory retinal pigments in Halobacterium halobium . Biophys. Struct. Mechanism 6, 165–169 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00535752

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00535752

Key words

Search

Navigation