Effect of phospholipids and detergents on transitions and equilibrium between the bleaching intermediates of rhodopsin

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Abstract
The thermal stability of bleaching intermediates and the metarhodopsins I .dblarw. II equilibrium have been examined for purified rhodopsin in cholic acid and a series of alkyl sucrose esters. The results are compared with rhodopsin contained in its natural phospholipid environment. It is found that detergents modify the transition temperatures of the photointermediates in a complex manner. The equilibrium between metarhodopsins I and II is also strongly dependent on the detergent species. It is shifted according to the micellar rigidity. This effect is reversible and allows direct observation of a back reaction from metarhodopsin II to I.