Structural Transition of Bacteriorhodopsin Is Preceded by Deprotonation of Schiff Base: Microsecond Time-Resolved X-Ray Diffraction Study of Purple Membrane

AbstractThe structural changes in the photoreaction cycle of bacteriorhodopsin, a light-driven proton pump, was investigated at a resolution of 7Å by a time-resolved x-ray diffraction experiment utilizing synchrotron x rays from an undulator of SPring-8. The x-ray diffraction measurement system, used in coupling with a pulsed YAG laser, enabled us to record a diffraction pattern from purple membrane film at a time-resolution of 6μs over the time domain of 5μs to 500ms. In the time domain, the functionally most important M-intermediate appears. A series of time-resolved x-ray diffraction data after photo-excitation showed clear intensity changes caused by the conformational changes of helix G in the M-intermediate. The population of the reaction intermediate was prominently observed at ∼5ms after a photo-stimulus. In contrast, absorption measurement indicated the deprotonation of the Schiff base predominantly occurred at ∼300μs after a photo-stimulus. These results showed that the conformational changes characterizing structurally the M-intermediate predominantly occur at a later stage of the deprotonation of the Schiff base. Thus, the M-intermediate can be divided into two metastable stages with different physical characteristics