The CarO rhodopsin of the fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is a light-driven proton pump that retards spore germination.

ABSTRACT: Rhodopsins are membrane-embedded photoreceptors found in all major taxonomic kingdoms using retinal as their chromophore. They play well-known functions in different biological systems, but their roles in fungi remain unknown. The filamentous fungus Fusarium fujikuroi contains two putative rhodopsins, CarO and OpsA. The gene carO is light-regulated, and the predicted polypeptide contains all conserved residues required for proton pumping. We aimed to elucidate the expression and cellular location of the fungal rhodopsin CarO, its presumed proton-pumping activity and the possible effect of such function on F. fujikuroi growth. In electrophysiology experiments we confirmed that CarO is a green-light driven proton pump. Visualization of fluorescent CarO-YFP expressed in F. fujikuroi under con

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Martinez J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4295100 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature