Rh1h

Rh1h is described here as a hypothetical member of the rhodopsin-like subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this context Rh1h is considered a photoreceptor protein related to rhodopsin (Rh1) and presumed to participate in light-dependent signal transduction in a retina-like tissue.

As a GPCR, Rh1h would detect photons via a bound light-sensitive chromophore, undergo a conformational change, and activate heterotrimeric G proteins. This triggers a signaling cascade that typically includes phosphodiesterase activation, a decrease in cyclic GMP, closure of cation channels, and final hyperpolarization of the photoreceptor cell.

Predicted features include seven transmembrane helices, an extracellular N-terminus, and an intracellular C-terminus with regulatory phosphorylation sites. A glycosylated extracellular loop region would be expected, aiding protein folding and trafficking to the photoreceptor outer segment where phototransduction occurs.

Evolutionarily, Rh1h would belong to the opsin family of GPCRs, with gene family members showing variable spectral tuning and signaling properties across species. Comparative analyses of Rh1h-like sequences aim to illuminate adaptation of light detection in diverse visual systems.

Nomenclature for Rh1h is not universally standardized. In some databases it may represent a rhodopsin-1 homolog, an alternate splice variant, or a provisional identifier in a particular genome annotation. Readers should verify in primary literature or database records for the relevant organism.