PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF NEW VISUAL PIGMENT ANALOGUES FROM 5,6‐DIHYDRORETINAL AND CATTLE OPSIN*

Abstract

Abstract— On irradiation of all‐ trans 5,6‐dihydroretinal (I), two opsin‐active isomers are formed. Both these isomers (believed to be the 11‐ cis and 9‐ cis isomers) individually couple with cattle opsin to form complexes which have maximal absorption at 465 nm. These complexes satisfy all the established criteria characteristic of synthetic visual pigments.