Computational and Spectroscopic Characterization of the Photocycle of an Artificial Rhodopsin

Overview

Journal J Phys Chem Lett

Publisher American Chemical Society

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2020 May 7

PMID 32374610

Citations 3

Authors

Madushanka Manathunga

Adam J Jenkins

Yoelvis Orozco-Gonzalez

Alireza Ghanbarpour

Babak Borhan

James H Geiger

Delmar S Larsen

Massimo Olivucci

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The photocycle of a reversible photoisomerizing rhodopsin mimic (M2) is investigated. This system, based on the cellular retinoic acid binding protein, is structurally different from natural rhodopsin systems, but exhibits a similar isomerization upon light irradiation. More specifically, M2 displays a 15- to - conversion of retinal protonated Schiff base (rPSB) and - to 15- isomerization of unprotonated Schiff base (rUSB). Here we use hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) tools coupled with transient absorption and cryokinetic UV-vis spectroscopies to investigate these isomerization processes. The results suggest that primary rPSB photoisomerization of M2 occurs around the C13═C14 double bond within 2 ps following an aborted-bicycle pedal (ABP) isomerization mechanism similar to natural microbial rhodopsins. The rUSB isomerization is much slower and occurs within 48 ps around the C15═N double bond. Our findings reveal the possibility to engineer naturally occurring mechanistic features into artificial rhodopsins and also constitute a step toward understanding the photoisomerization of UV pigments. We conclude by reinforcing the idea that the presence of the retinal chromophore inside a tight protein cavity is not mandatory to exhibit ABP mechanism.

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