A distinct abundant group of microbial rhodopsins discovered using functional metagenomics

Many organisms capture or sense sunlight using rhodopsin pigments1,2, which are integral membrane proteins that bind retinal chromophores. Rhodopsins comprise two distinct protein families null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null 1 null null null null null null null null null null null null null null null , type-1 (microbial rhodopsins) and type-2 (animal rhodopsins). The two families share similar...