Bacteriorhodopsin
 


Bacteriorhodopsin (Cartoons, colored structure), a light driven proton pump, is shown with one layer of phospholipid and several layers of water. The retinal chromophore is Spacefill, colored purple. The retinal absorbs a photon of light, undergoes a conformational change which causes a proton to be moved across the membrane.
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 Simple View: residues 79-91 (Retinal shown in purple)
 Highlight:

 1. The protein has seven a-helices that span the bilayer.
 2. The membrane-exposed surface is highly hydrophobic.
 3. The charged/polar residues are at the solvent interfaces and also line the internal hydrophilic channel.