"CryoRhodopsins: A comprehensive characterization of a group of microbial rhodopsins from cold environments" in Science Advances
Comprehensive study of a new group of microbial rhodopsins called CryoRhodopsins (CryoRs), whose members mainly originate from cold environments. By combination of insights gaining from single-particle cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, and time-resolved spectroscopy we elucidated, that the characteristic arginine residue of this group (R57 in CryoR1) stabilizes the UV-absorbing M2 intermediate state, which causes the extremely slow photocycle dynamics of CryoRs at neutral and alkaline conditions. Furthermore, the mechanism causing the photoswitch-like behavior was elucidated. All in all, the data suggests that CryoRs function as sensors for UV irradiation, as illustrated by the population of the UV sensitive M2 intermediate upon irradiation by sunlight.
"Covalent Carbon Nanodot-Azobenzene Hybrid Photoswitches: The Role of Meta/Para Connectivity and sp³ Spacer in Photophysical Properties" in J. Mater. Chem. C.
In this collaborative study, we investigated the properties of azobenzene-functionalized carbon nanodots, resulting in azobenzene-nanoparticle hybrids. Three distinct hybrids, differing in meta and para connectivity as well as linker length, were examined. The findings demonstrate that both the functionalization pattern and connectivity type significantly influence the efficiency of energy and charge transfer from the carbon dot to the azobenzene moiety, thereby affecting the overall optical properties. These hybrid systems show strong potential for diverse applications, including optostimulation and biomedical use.
"Ion-conducting and gating molecular mechanisms of channelrhodopsin revealed by true-atomic-resolution structures of open and closed states" in Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol.
"Multistate Dihydroazulene-Spiropyran Dyads: Path-Dependent Switchings and Refinement of the “Meta-rule” of Photoactivity" in Chem. Eur. J.
Dihydroazulene-spiropyran (DHA-SP) photochromic dyads were prepared and investigated by stationary and ultrafast spectroscopies. The dyads can reach eight different states, some only by a specific sequence of stimuli. This path-dependent switching adds an additional degree of data storage.
