Structural model of herring rhodopsin (blue) with the chromophore retinal in red (where light absorption occurs).

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Structural model of herring rhodopsin (blue) with the chromophore retinal in red (where light absorption occurs).

Structural model of herring rhodopsin (blue) with the chromophore retinal in red (where light absorption occurs), the location of residue 261 in the vicinity of retinal, and the tiny but critical difference between the amino acids phenylalanine (turquoise) and tyrosine (yellow/red) highlighted. The presence of tyrosine in Baltic herring rhodopsin makes light absorption red-shifted and better adapted to the Baltic Sea.
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  • By: Image courtesy Dr. Patrick Scheerer and Dr. Gunnar Kleinau.
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