Insights into the activation mechanism of the visual receptor rhodopsin

Recent advances in the structural biology of GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors) have provided insights into their structure and function. Comparisons of the visual and ligand-activated receptors highlight the unique elements of rhodopsin that allow it to function as a highly sensitive dim-light pho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBiochemical Society transactions Vol. 40; no. 2; p. 389
Main Author Smith, Steven O
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.04.2012
Subjects
Animals
Conserved Sequence - genetics
Humans
Isomerism
Protein Structure, Secondary
Retinaldehyde - metabolism
Rhodopsin - chemistry
Rhodopsin - metabolism
Rosaniline Dyes - metabolism
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Summary:Recent advances in the structural biology of GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors) have provided insights into their structure and function. Comparisons of the visual and ligand-activated receptors highlight the unique elements of rhodopsin that allow it to function as a highly sensitive dim-light photoreceptor in vertebrates, as well as the common elements that it shares with the large class A GPCR family. However, despite progress, a number of questions remain unanswered about how these receptors are activated.
ISSN:1470-8752
DOI:10.1042/BST20110751