Topological adaptation of heliorhodopsins enables exogenous second-antenna acquisition in monoderm phototrophs

Abstract

Heliorhodopsins (HeRs), the third rhodopsin family, are characterized by inverted membrane topology and confinement to monoderm organisms, yet their biological meaning has so far remained a mystery. We report the first crystal structure of a eukaryotic HeR, supported by structural modeling and comparative analyses across all domains of life. A conserved carotenoid-binding site, reminiscent of secondary antennae in some microbial rhodopsins, is identified and found to be common among HeRs. We show that inverted topology allows recruitment of exogenous xanthophylls, inaccessible in diderm cells, explaining HeRs distinctive orientation and distribution. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized light-harvesting mechanism of HeRs, expand the known repertoire of microbial phototrophy, and suggest evolutionary constraints linking membrane topology to environmental metabolite accessibility.