RHO

G protein-coupled photoreceptor that activates the G protein transducin (t) signaling pathway in response to light and is essential for image-forming vision under low-light conditions. Required for postnatal photoreceptor cell viability. Activation occurs when the covalently bound 11-cis-retinal chromophore absorbs a photon and isomerizes to all-trans-retinal, inducing a conformational change in the opsin that triggers G protein-mediated phototransduction (Probable). Signal termination occurs via receptor phosphorylation, which promotes binding of arrestin (SAG) and displacement of the G protein alpha subunit (Probable)..

Function from UniProtKB (P08100), read 2026-09-23. CC BY 4.0.