Light + Rhodopsin = Medicinal products!?

Abstract

Medicinal products treat diseases by “controlling the biological function”, but huge costs and much time are required. So that, a novel concept is needed to develop new medicinal products. Biological function is controlled by hydrolysis energy of adenosine triphosphate (52 kJ/mol), while solar energy is more than four times larger (240 kJ/mol). From this, we have conceived that control of biological function is possible with light (i.e., light become a medicinal product). Then, we isolated and identified novel photoreceptor protein rhodopsins from nature, performed their functional and structural analysis, and realized artificial control of biological function. These achievements would contribute to several SDGs (e.g., No.3, Good Health and Well-Being).