The photosensitive molecule rhodopsin and its relatives consist of a protein moiety-an opsin-
and a non-protein moiety-the chromophore retinal. Opsins, which are G-protein-coupled …

Opsins are the universal photoreceptor molecules of all visual systems in the animal
kingdom. They can change their conformation from a resting state to a signalling state upon …

We describe the draft genome of the microcrustacean Daphnia pulex, which is only 200
megabases and contains at least 30,907 genes. The high gene count is a consequence of …

The opsin family of G-protein-coupled receptors are used as light detectors in animals.
Opsin 5 (also known as neuropsin or OPN5) is a highly conserved opsin that is sensitive to …

Circadian rhythms influence most of our life activities, notably getting up and going to sleep
every day. The new edition of this book delves into the mechanisms surrounding how these …

Cephalochordates, urochordates, and vertebrates evolved from a common ancestor over
520 million years ago. To improve our understanding of chordate evolution and the origin of …

It has been known for many decades that nonmammalian vertebrates detect light by deep
brain photoreceptors that lie outside the retina and pineal organ to regulate seasonal cycle …

Myopia has become a major public health concern, particularly across much of Asia. It has
been shown in multiple studies that outdoor activity has a protective effect on myopia …

Gq proteins are universally important for signal transduction in mammalian cells. The
underlying kinetics and transformation from extracellular stimuli into intracellular signaling …

A variety of animal species utilize the ultraviolet (UV) component of sunlight as their
environmental cues, whereas physiological roles of UV photoreception in mammals …