Identification of the key determinant of the transport promiscuity in Na-translocating rhodopsins.

Bacterial Na-transporting rhodopsins convert solar energy into transmembrane ion potential difference. Typically, they are strictly specific for Na, but some can additionally transport H. To determine the structural basis of cation promiscuity in Na-rhodopsins, we compared their primary structures and found a single position that harbors a cysteine in strictly specific Na-rhodopsins and a serine in the promiscuous Krokinobacter eikastus Na-rhodopsin (Kr2).

Engineering a carotenoid-binding site in Dokdonia sp. PRO95 Na-translocating rhodopsin by a single amino acid substitution.

Light-driven H, Cl and Na rhodopsin pumps all use a covalently bound retinal molecule to capture light energy. Some H-pumping rhodopsins (xanthorhodopsins; XRs) additionally contain a carotenoid antenna for light absorption. Comparison of the available primary and tertiary structures of rhodopsins pinpointed a single Thr residue (Thr216) that presumably prevents carotenoid binding to Na-pumping rhodopsins (NaRs).

A single mutation converts bacterial Na(+) -transporting rhodopsin into an H(+) transporter.

Na(+) -rhodopsins are light-driven pumps used by marine bacteria to extrude Na(+) ions from the cytoplasm. We show here that replacement of Gln123 on the cytoplasmic side of the ion-conductance channel with aspartate or glutamate confers H(+) transport activity to the Na(+) -rhodopsin from Dokdonia sp. PRO95.