The gene encoding a novel halorhodopsin-like protein of extremely halophilic archaeon Haloarcula japonica strain TR-1.

The gene encoding the halorhodopsin (hR)-like protein was cloned and sequenced from Haloarcula japonica strain TR-1. The structural gene consisted of an open reading frame of 828 nucleotides encoding 276 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Ha. japonica hR-like protein showed the highest homology to those of cruxhalorhodopsins. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the Ha. japonica chR gene is transcriptionally induced by light.