Volvoxrhodopsin, a light-regulated sensory photoreceptor of the spheroidal green alga Volvox carteri.

Somatic cells of the multicellular alga Volvox carteri contain a visual rhodopsin that controls the organism's phototactic behavior via two independent photoreceptor currents. Here, we report the identification of an opsinlike gene, designated as volvoxopsin (vop). The encoded protein exhibits homologies to the opsin of the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (chlamyopsin) and to the entire animal opsin family, thus providing new perspectives on opsin evolution. Volvoxopsin accumulates within the eyes of somatic cells. However, the vop transcript is detectable only in the reproductive eyeless gonidia and embryos. vop mRNA levels increase 400-fold during embryogenesis, when embryos develop in darkness, whereas the vop transcript does not accumulate when embryos develop in the light. An antisense transformant, T3, was generated. This transformant produces 10 times less volvoxopsin than does the wild type. In T3, the vop transcript is virtually absent, whereas the antisense transcript is predominant and light regulated. It follows that vop expression is under light-dependent transcriptional control but that volvoxopsin itself is not the regulatory photoreceptor. Transformant T3 is phototactic, but its phototactic sensitivity is reduced 10-fold relative to the parental wild-type strain HK10. Thus, we offer definitive genetic evidence that a rhodopsin serves as the photoreceptor for phototaxis in a green alga.

Chlamyrhodopsin represents a new type of sensory photoreceptor.

In order to find optimal light conditions for photosynthetic growth, the green alga Chlamydomonas uses a visual system. An optical device, a rhodopsin photoreceptor and an electrical signal transduction chain that mediates between photoreceptor and flagella comprise this system. Here we present an improved strategy for the preparation of eyespot membranes. These membranes contain a retinal binding protein, which has been proposed to be the apoprotein of the phototaxis receptor. The retinal binding protein, which we named chlamyopsin, was purified and opsin-specific antibodies were raised. Using these antibodies, the opsin was localized in the eyespot region of whole cells during growth and cell division. The opsin cDNA was purified and sequenced. The sequence reveals that chlamyopsin is not a typical seven helix receptor. It shows some homology to invertebrate opsins but not to opsins from halobacteria. It contains many polar and charged residues and might function as a light-gated ion channel complex. It is likely that this lower plant rhodopsin diverged from animal opsins early in opsin evolution.

Luminal surface fabrication for cardiovascular prostheses.

Methods to produce highly ordered, specific surface morphologies on poly-tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE Teflon) surfaces were developed. These methods included the use of photolithographic techniques for pattern definition and directed argon ion beam sputter etching to produce the desired surface morphology. Use of these techniques resulted in the formation of regular arrays of sharply defined hexagonal pillars with smooth, vertical walls with heights of up to 80 microns. Pillar height-to-width ratios ranged up to 5.2-1. Surface hole depths of up to approximately 80 microns were also obtained. These surface morphologies could have an important application in medicine for improving the patency of cardiovascular prostheses. This would be accomplished by creating a luminal surface in the implant which promotes the development of a healthy neointima lining.