Arrestin can act as a regulator of rhodopsin photochemistry

Martha E. Sommer, David L. Farrens

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report that visual arrestin can regulate retinal release and late photoproduct formation in rhodopsin. Our experiments, which employ a fluorescently labeled arrestin and rhodopsin solubilized in detergent/phospholipid micelles, indicate that arrestin can trap a population of retinal in the binding pocket with an absorbance characteristic of Meta II with the retinal Schiff-base intact. Furthermore, arrestin can convert Metarhodopsin III (formed either by thermal decay or blue-light irradiation) to a Meta II-like absorbing species. Together, our results suggest arrestin may be able to play a more complex role in the rod cell besides simply quenching transducin activity. This possibility may help explain why arrestin deficiency leads to problems like stationary night blindness (Oguchi disease) and retinal degeneration.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4532-4546
Number of pages15
JournalVision Research
Volume46
Issue number27
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2006

Keywords

  • Arrestin
  • Metarhodopsin III
  • Photo-regeneration
  • Retinal
  • Rhodopsin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology
  • Sensory Systems

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