The light-driven proton pump proteorhodopsin enhances bacterial survival during tough times

Edward F DeLong; Oded Béjà

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000359

The light-driven proton pump proteorhodopsin enhances bacterial survival during tough times

PLoS Biol. 2010 Apr 27;8(4):e1000359. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000359.

Authors

Edward F DeLong¹, Oded Béjà

Affiliation

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America. Delong@mit.edu

Abstract

Recently, it has been discovered that many microorganisms previously thought to be light-independent actually make use of sunlight for growth and survival. Newly reported work suggests some of the specific mechanisms involved.

MeSH terms

Bacteria / metabolism*
Bacterial Proteins / genetics
Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
Cell Survival / physiology*
Light*
Phototrophic Processes / physiology
Proton Pumps / metabolism*
Rhodopsin / genetics
Rhodopsin / metabolism*
Rhodopsins, Microbial
Seawater / microbiology

Substances

Bacterial Proteins
Proton Pumps
Rhodopsins, Microbial
proteorhodopsin
Rhodopsin