The spectral tuning of halorhodopsin from Halobacterium salinarum (shR) during anion transport was analyzed at the molecular level using DFT-QM/MM [SORCI+Q//B3LYP/6-31G(d):Amber96] hybrid methods. Insights into the influence of Cl(-) depletion, Cl(-) substitution by N3(-) or NO3(-), and mutation of key amino acid residues along the ion translocation pathway (H95A, H95R, Q105E, R108H, R108I, R10...