Proteorhodopsin (PR) is the most abundant retinal protein on earth and functions as a light-driven proton pump. Despite extensive efforts, structural data for PR photointermediate states have not been obtained. On the basis of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-enhanced solid-state NMR, we were able to analyze the retinal polyene chain between positions C10 and C15 as well as the Schiff base nitrogen in the ground state in comparison to light-induced, cryotrapped K- and M-states. A high M-state population could be achieved by preventing reprotonation of the Schiff base through a mutation of the primary proton donor (E108Q). Our data reveal unexpected large and alternating C chemical shift changes in the K-state propagating away from the Schiff base along the polyene chain. Furthermore, two different M-states have been observed reflecting the Schiff base reorientation after the deprotonation step. Our study provides novel insight into the photocycle of PR and also demonstrates the power of DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR to bridge the gap between functional and structural data and models.

We report femtosecond time-resolved absorption change measurements of the photoinduced deactivation dynamics of a microbial rhodopsin in the ultraviolet-visible and mid-infrared range. The blue light quenching process is recorded in green proteorhodopsin's (GPR) primary proton donor mutant E108Q from the deprotonated 13-cis photointermediate. The return of GPR to the dark state occurs in two steps, starting with the photoinduced 13-cis to all-trans reisomerization of the retinal. The subsequent Schiff base reprotonation via the primary proton acceptor (D97) occurs on a nanosecond time scale. This step is two orders of magnitude faster than that in bacteriorhodopsin, potentially because of the very high pK of the GPR primary proton acceptor.

Background: Protein trans-splicing as a molecular design tool has been demonstrated for soluble but not yet for membrane proteins. Results: Two separate polypeptides have been spliced in vivo, yielding correctly folded and functional proteorhodopsin. Conclusion: Trans-splicing of ␣-helical membrane proteins under native conditions is possible. Significance: Our findings are important for the folding, assembly, and engineering of membrane proteins.

Continued activation of the photocycle of the dim-light receptor rhodopsin leads to accumulation of all-trans-retinal in rod outer segments (ROS). This accumulation can damage the photoreceptor cell. For retinal homeostasis, deactivation processes are initiated in which the release of retinal is delayed. One of the processes involves binding of arrestin to rhodopsin. Here, we investigate the interaction of pre-activated truncated bovine visual arrestin (Tr) with rhodopsin in 1,2-diheptanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC) micelles by solution NMR techniques and flash photolysis spectroscopy. Our results show that formation of the rhodopsin-arrestin complex markedly influences partitioning in the decay kinetics of rhodopsin that involves the simultaneous formation of meta II state and meta III state from the meta I state. Binding of Tr leads to an increase of meta III state population and consequently to a ~2-fold slower release of all-trans-retinal from rhodopsin.

The RHO gene encodes the G‐protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) rhodopsin. Numerous mutations associated with impaired visual cycle have been reported; the G90D mutation leads to a constitutively active mutant form of rhodopsin that causes CSNB disease. We report on the structural investigation of the retinal configuration and conformation in the binding pocket in the dark and light‐activated state by solution and MAS‐NMR spectroscopy. We found two long‐lived dark states for the G90D mutant with the 11‐cis retinal bound as Schiff base in both populations. The second minor population in the dark state is attributed to a slight shift in conformation of the covalently bound 11‐cis retinal caused by the mutation‐induced distortion on the salt bridge formation in the binding pocket. Time‐resolved UV/Vis spectroscopy was used to monitor the functional dynamics of the G90D mutant rhodopsin for all relevant time scales of the photocycle. The G90D mutant retains its conformational heterogeneity during the photocycle.