Photochemical chromophore isomerization in histidine kinase rhodopsin HKR1

Histidine kinase rhodopsin 1 is a photoreceptor in green algae functioning as a UV-light sensor. It switches between a UV-absorbing state (Rh-UV) and a blue-absorbing state (Rh-Bl) with a protonated retinal Schiff base (RSB) cofactor in a mixture of 13-trans,15-anti and 13-cis,15-syn isomers. The present spectroscopic study now shows that cofactor-protein assembly stabilizes the protonated 13-trans,15-anti RSB isomer. Formation of the active photoswitch requires the photoinduced conversion to Rh-UV. The transitions between the Rh-Bl isomers and the deprotonated 13-cis,15-anti and 13-trans,15-syn isomers of Rh-UV proceed via multiple photoisomerizations of one or simultaneously two double bonds.