Chemical kinetic analysis of thermal decay of rhodopsin reveals unusual energetics of thermal isomerization and hydrolysis of Schiff base.

ABSTRACT: The thermal properties of rhodopsin, which set the threshold of our vision, have long been investigated, but the chemical kinetics of the thermal decay of rhodopsin has not been revealed in detail. To understand thermal decay quantitatively, we propose a kinetic model consisting of two pathways: 1) thermal isomerization of 11-cis-retinal followed by hydrolysis of Schiff base (SB) and 2) hydrolysis of SB in dark state rhodopsin followed by opsin-catalyzed isomerization of free 11-cis-retinal. We solve the kinetic model mathematically and use it to analyze kinetic data from four experiments that we designed to assay thermal decay, isomerization, hydrolysis of SB using dark state rhodopsin, and hydrolysis of SB using photoactivated rhodopsin. We apply the model to WT rhodopsin and E181Q and S

SUBMITTER: Liu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3207414 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature