Identification of 11- cis and all- trans-retinal in the photoreceptive organelle of a flagellate green alga

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 293; no. 1; pp. 49 - 52
• Main Authors: Kreimer, Georg, Marner, Franz-Josef, Brohsonn, Uwe, Melkonian, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 18.11.1991; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - chemistry; Cell physiology; Chlorophyta - chemistry; Chlorophyta - physiology; Eyespot; Flagella; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Green algae; Molecular and cellular biology; Organelles - chemistry; Organelles - physiology; Photoreceptive organelle; Photoreceptor Cells - chemistry; Photoreceptor Cells - physiology; Photosynthesis - physiology; Phototaxis; Retinal; Retinaldehyde - chemistry; Retinaldehyde - physiology; Spermatozopsis similis; Vision, photoreception; Green algae; Phototaxis; Retinal; Photoreceptive organelle; Eyespot; Photoreception; Algae; Chlorophycophyta; HPLC chromatography; All trans stereoisomer; Detection; Ultraviolet spectrometry; Thallophyta; Cis stereoisomer
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(91)81150-7

Isolation of intact photoreceptive organelles (eyespot apparatuses) involved in blue-light mediated photoresponses in a flagellate green alga ( Spermatozopsis similis) allowed for the first time the identification of both 11- cis- and all- trans-retinal in a plant cell. Both isomers were identified by HPLC analysis in conjunction with UV spectra. Additionally, reconstitution of a distinct absorption band, centered around 540 nm, was achieved by addition of exogenous 9- cis-retinal to bleached, isolated eyespot apparatuses.