Long-wave-sensitive opsin 1/Medium-wave-sensitive opsin 1 (UniProt: P04000/P04001; also known as Red cone photoreceptor pigment/Green cone photoreceptor pigment, Red-sensitive opsin/ Green-sensitive opsin, ROP/GOP) are encoded by the OPN1LW/OPN1MW (also known as RCP/GCP) genes (Gene ID: 5956/2652) in human. The full range of color discrimination in humans is based on the presence and function of three cone photoreceptors. Each cone type possesses a photo-sensitive pigment-protein complex consisting of 11-cis retinal and a unique opsin protein that gives sensitivity in the short (S cone, peak sensitivity about 420 nm), middle (M cone, peak sensitivity about 530 nm with polymorphism), and long (L cone, peak sensitivity about 560 nm with polymorphism) wavelengths of the light spectrum. Opsins are multi-pass membrane proteins that belongs to the G-protein coupled receptor 1 family. They consist of four extracellular, 7 helical, and four cytoplasmic domains. Genes for the three types of cone opsins and the rod photoreceptor rhodopsin gene seem to be homologous with varying amounts of conservation. Strongest conservation is between the middle (green) and long (red) wavelength sensitive pigments on the X chromosome, suggesting a relatively recent duplication/divergence event. The S cone (blue) opsin seems to have a stronger conservation with rhodopsin. Cone photoreceptor distribution in humans is dominated by the M and L cone pigments. Mutations in OPN1MW and OPN1LW genes are known to cause color blindness that is characterized by a dichromasy in which red and green are confused, without loss of luminance or shift or shortening of the spectrum. Some mutations also lead to cone dystrophy leading to progressive degeneration of the cone photoreceptor with some preservation of rod function. (Ref.: Neitz, M., and Neitz, J. (2000). Arch. Ophthalmol. 118(5); 691-700).
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