Channelrhodopsin
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) is a unique protein, in that it is an ion channel that is directly opened by light. It is a seven-transmembrane protein like rhodopsin.
Like most opsins, channelrhodopsin-2 contains the light-isomerizable vitamin A derivative retinal, but whereas most opsins are G-protein coupled receptors that open other ion channels indirectly, ChR2 contains the channel itself.
