Illuminating the molecular basis of human daylight vision.
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| Title: | Illuminating the molecular basis of human daylight vision. |
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| Authors: | Schmidt, Sarah L. (AUTHOR), Dostal, Jakub (AUTHOR), Sen, Saumik (AUTHOR), Hovan, Andrej (AUTHOR), Walter, Deborah (AUTHOR), Appleby, Martin V. (AUTHOR), Kojima, Asato (AUTHOR), Kato, Hideaki E. (AUTHOR), Beale, John H. (AUTHOR), Kloz, Miroslav (AUTHOR), Schertler, Gebhard F. X. (AUTHOR), Isaikina, Polina (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Science. 6/25/2026, Vol. 392 Issue 6805, p1-15. 15p. |
| Abstract: | Photopic vision, including fast motion and color perception in daylight, is mediated by cone opsins, specialized G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Despite sharing the same chromophore, the three receptor subtypes absorb light at different wavelengths of the visible spectrum. The molecular mechanisms governing their spectral properties and exceptionally rapid responses remain largely unknown. We report cryo–electron microscopy structures of the human blue-sensitive (OPN1SW) and green-sensitive (OPN1MW) cone opsins in their dark-adapted states, combined with femtosecond-resolution spectroscopy, functional assays, and advanced simulations. The data reveal distinct chromophore stabilization mechanisms across human visual opsins and specific sequence adaptations in the GPCR microswitch motifs, underlining their structural plasticity and distinct activation mechanisms. These findings delineate the molecular basis of the evolutionary refinements fulfilling the needs of vision in daylight. Editor's summary: Human daytime vision relies on a trio of visual receptors called opsins, which are found in the cone cells in and around the central region of the retina. The three opsins are tuned to long, medium, or short wavelengths of light, roughly corresponding to red, green, and blue, and mutations or other defects in cone cell function can lead to vision deficits. Although the cell biology and biochemistry of color vision have been well studied, up to now, the molecular explanation for cone opsin spectral tuning and signaling kinetics has been limited by a lack of experimental structures. Three papers in this issue now resolve this deficit. Schmidt et al. determined structures of the dark state of the green and blue human cone opsins, which revealed important details of these receptors and provide a basis for a femtosecond-resolution spectroscopy study. Ohashi et al. performed complementary structural, spectroscopic, and computational results with dark-state red and green cone opsins from macaques, which have color vision similar to humans. Finally, Peng et al. studied all three human cone opsins in the presumed active state bound to a G protein and all-trans retinal. The three papers together provide a clear picture of the features of these visual receptors that lead to different spectral properties, activation and inactivation kinetics, and recycling. —Michael A. Funk INTRODUCTION : High-acuity daylight vision relies on cone photoreceptors, specialized class A G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Like other light-sensitive GPCRs, the three human cone opsins covalently bind vitamin A derivative 11-cis-retinal through a protonated Schiff base. Despite sharing the same chromophore, they detect distinct wavelengths of light and generate swift signaling responses at high repetition rates. Although cone opsins are central to human vision, and in contrast to the well-studied rod photoreceptor rhodopsin, the detailed molecular basis of these functional specializations remains elusive. RATIONALE: To obtain structure-function relationships that extend the kinetic and mechanistic understanding of photopic vision, we solved cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the two most evolutionarily and functionally divergent human cone opsins, short-wavelength-sensitive OPN1SW and medium-wavelength-sensitive OPN1MW, in their initial 11-cis-coupled state. We combined the structural data with multiple functional assays, hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations, time-resolved spectroscopy, and multitaxon opsin sequence analysis. RESULTS: Cryo-EM structures of cone opsins revealed receptor-specific activation mechanisms and distinct strategies for stabilizing the retinal Schiff base. OPN1SW, representing the phylogenetically older vertebrate opsins, has a more constrained polar chromophore environment, which contributes to its blue-shifted maximum absorption wavelength (λmax), yet its stabilization is weaker than that of rhodopsin. The architecture of OPN1SW shows substantial divergences in the canonical GPCR microswitch networks, including the replacement of the toggle switch with Y6.48, a disrupted PIF triad, and the absence of a highly conserved sodium- or water-coordination site. Collectively, these alterations favor a preactive conformation, also captured by cryo-EM. OPN1SW further uses W185ECL2 as a steric switch to transmit the retinal isomerization event across several helices through an extended aromatic network. In contrast, OPN1MW contains a chloride ion within the chromophore-binding pocket that modulates wavelength sensitivity and influences the amplitude of G protein signaling. This chloride-binding site coevolved with a structural pathway on helix 2 that couples chromophore chemistry to canonical GPCR microswitches. Both receptors have accessible binding pockets that allow rapid ligand hydrolysis and, consequently, fast retinal turnover. Femtosecond transient-absorption spectroscopy resolved the photoisomerization cascade, supporting a model in which deprotonation and subsequent hydrolysis limit signal duration in cone opsins. CONCLUSION: Our structural and mechanistic insights describe how distinctive chromophore environments and GPCR microswitch adaptations tune spectral sensitivity and signaling-state lifetimes in cone opsins. Conservation of central residues across short-wavelength-sensitive and medium-to-long-wavelength-sensitive opsins suggests shared mechanistic principles that shaped the evolution of daylight vision. Similar motifs in other GPCRs, including sensory receptors, inform the strategies for modulating receptor activation kinetics and signal duration. Cone opsins use distinct chromophore-stabilization strategies to tune spectral sensitivity, activation kinetics, and retinal regeneration.: Cryo-EM structures of OPN1SW, preactive OPN1SW, and OPN1MW in the 11-cis-retinal–bound state. The chromophore and key stabilizing residues are shown as sticks (top). The schematic illustrates distinct activation mechanisms of the two receptors (bottom). Numbered steps (1 through 5) indicate sequential phases of activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| Abstract: | Photopic vision, including fast motion and color perception in daylight, is mediated by cone opsins, specialized G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Despite sharing the same chromophore, the three receptor subtypes absorb light at different wavelengths of the visible spectrum. The molecular mechanisms governing their spectral properties and exceptionally rapid responses remain largely unknown. We report cryo–electron microscopy structures of the human blue-sensitive (OPN1SW) and green-sensitive (OPN1MW) cone opsins in their dark-adapted states, combined with femtosecond-resolution spectroscopy, functional assays, and advanced simulations. The data reveal distinct chromophore stabilization mechanisms across human visual opsins and specific sequence adaptations in the GPCR microswitch motifs, underlining their structural plasticity and distinct activation mechanisms. These findings delineate the molecular basis of the evolutionary refinements fulfilling the needs of vision in daylight. Editor's summary: Human daytime vision relies on a trio of visual receptors called opsins, which are found in the cone cells in and around the central region of the retina. The three opsins are tuned to long, medium, or short wavelengths of light, roughly corresponding to red, green, and blue, and mutations or other defects in cone cell function can lead to vision deficits. Although the cell biology and biochemistry of color vision have been well studied, up to now, the molecular explanation for cone opsin spectral tuning and signaling kinetics has been limited by a lack of experimental structures. Three papers in this issue now resolve this deficit. Schmidt et al. determined structures of the dark state of the green and blue human cone opsins, which revealed important details of these receptors and provide a basis for a femtosecond-resolution spectroscopy study. Ohashi et al. performed complementary structural, spectroscopic, and computational results with dark-state red and green cone opsins from macaques, which have color vision similar to humans. Finally, Peng et al. studied all three human cone opsins in the presumed active state bound to a G protein and all-trans retinal. The three papers together provide a clear picture of the features of these visual receptors that lead to different spectral properties, activation and inactivation kinetics, and recycling. —Michael A. Funk INTRODUCTION : High-acuity daylight vision relies on cone photoreceptors, specialized class A G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). Like other light-sensitive GPCRs, the three human cone opsins covalently bind vitamin A derivative 11-cis-retinal through a protonated Schiff base. Despite sharing the same chromophore, they detect distinct wavelengths of light and generate swift signaling responses at high repetition rates. Although cone opsins are central to human vision, and in contrast to the well-studied rod photoreceptor rhodopsin, the detailed molecular basis of these functional specializations remains elusive. RATIONALE: To obtain structure-function relationships that extend the kinetic and mechanistic understanding of photopic vision, we solved cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the two most evolutionarily and functionally divergent human cone opsins, short-wavelength-sensitive OPN1SW and medium-wavelength-sensitive OPN1MW, in their initial 11-cis-coupled state. We combined the structural data with multiple functional assays, hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations, time-resolved spectroscopy, and multitaxon opsin sequence analysis. RESULTS: Cryo-EM structures of cone opsins revealed receptor-specific activation mechanisms and distinct strategies for stabilizing the retinal Schiff base. OPN1SW, representing the phylogenetically older vertebrate opsins, has a more constrained polar chromophore environment, which contributes to its blue-shifted maximum absorption wavelength (λmax), yet its stabilization is weaker than that of rhodopsin. The architecture of OPN1SW shows substantial divergences in the canonical GPCR microswitch networks, including the replacement of the toggle switch with Y6.48, a disrupted PIF triad, and the absence of a highly conserved sodium- or water-coordination site. Collectively, these alterations favor a preactive conformation, also captured by cryo-EM. OPN1SW further uses W185ECL2 as a steric switch to transmit the retinal isomerization event across several helices through an extended aromatic network. In contrast, OPN1MW contains a chloride ion within the chromophore-binding pocket that modulates wavelength sensitivity and influences the amplitude of G protein signaling. This chloride-binding site coevolved with a structural pathway on helix 2 that couples chromophore chemistry to canonical GPCR microswitches. Both receptors have accessible binding pockets that allow rapid ligand hydrolysis and, consequently, fast retinal turnover. Femtosecond transient-absorption spectroscopy resolved the photoisomerization cascade, supporting a model in which deprotonation and subsequent hydrolysis limit signal duration in cone opsins. CONCLUSION: Our structural and mechanistic insights describe how distinctive chromophore environments and GPCR microswitch adaptations tune spectral sensitivity and signaling-state lifetimes in cone opsins. Conservation of central residues across short-wavelength-sensitive and medium-to-long-wavelength-sensitive opsins suggests shared mechanistic principles that shaped the evolution of daylight vision. Similar motifs in other GPCRs, including sensory receptors, inform the strategies for modulating receptor activation kinetics and signal duration. Cone opsins use distinct chromophore-stabilization strategies to tune spectral sensitivity, activation kinetics, and retinal regeneration.: Cryo-EM structures of OPN1SW, preactive OPN1SW, and OPN1MW in the 11-cis-retinal–bound state. The chromophore and key stabilizing residues are shown as sticks (top). The schematic illustrates distinct activation mechanisms of the two receptors (bottom). Numbered steps (1 through 5) indicate sequential phases of activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 00368075 |
| DOI: | 10.1126/science.adz3624 |
