Activation of Transducin by Bistable Pigment Parapinopsin in the Pineal Organ of Lower Vertebrates.

ABSTRACT: Pineal organs of lower vertebrates contain several kinds of photosensitive molecules, opsins that are suggested to be involved in different light-regulated physiological functions. We previously reported that parapinopsin is an ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive opsin that underlies hyperpolarization of the pineal photoreceptor cells of lower vertebrates to achieve pineal wavelength discrimination. Although, parapinopsin is phylogenetically close to vertebrate visual opsins, it exhibits a property similar to invertebrate visual opsins and melanopsin: the photoproduct of parapinopsin is stable and reverts to the original dark states, demonstrating the nature of bistable pigments. Therefore, it is of evolutionary interest to identify a phototransduction cascade driven by parapinopsin and to compare

SUBMITTER: Kawano-Yamashita E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4619617 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature