Navigation Links
Atomic-resolution views suggest function of enzyme that regulates light-detecting signals in eye
Date:10/7/2008

An atomic-resolution view of an enzyme found only in the eye has given researchers at the University of Washington (UW) clues about how this enzyme, essential to vision, is activated. The enzyme, phosphodiesterase 6 (PDE6), is central to the way light entering the retina is converted into a cascade of signals to the brain.

This particular form of the enzyme comes from the cone photoreceptors of the retina and has not been well-researched, in contrast to its rod form. Rods are involved in night vision and motion sensation; the cones are responsible for color sensitivity, visual acuity, daylight vision, and adjustment to bright light.

The section of the enzyme molecule that most interests the researchers is the so-called GAF A domain. A small messenger molecule, cGMP, binds to the GAF A domain to regulate the enzyme.

"The domain binds to this small molecule with extremely high sensitivity," said UW biochemist Clemens Heikaus, who along with Sergio E. Martinez, now a research associate at Rutgers, carried out the study. "From our structure, we can infer why it prefers cGMP over other messenger molecules." He added that the domain is quick in recognizing and responding to the messenger molecule to create an instantaneous flow of information to the brain.

Using X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance, the researchers discovered that the enzyme undergoes major structural changes upon binding of the cGMP molecule.

Before binding occurs, the GAF domain is like an outstretched palm with the fingers wiggling, Heikaus said. After the cGMP molecule binds, the GAF domain closes and becomes less dynamic. In this state it looks more like a closed fist.

Further analysis of the consequences of this conformational change may lead to a better understanding of how the photoreceptor PDE helps regulate the path of signals that enable us to see, as well as provide general information on proteins with GA
'/>"/>

Contact: Leila Gray
206-685-0381
University of Washington
Source:Eurekalert  

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Priming scientists for successful media interviews
2. Sirtris review of sirtuin therapeutics for diseases of aging in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery
3. Features of replication suggest viruses have common themes, vulnerabilities
4. Feeling hot, hot, hot: New study suggests ways to control fever-induced seizures
5. Misconceptions about Alzheimers varies among races, survey suggests
6. Wasp genetics study suggests altruism evolved from maternal behavior
7. Yale discovery suggests protein may play a role in severe asthma
8. Study suggests link between obesity, poor bone health
9. New studies suggest brain overgrowth in 1-year-olds linked to development of autism
10. Threatened birds may be rarer than geographic range maps suggest
11. BMI criteria for obesity surgery should be lowered, UT Southwestern researcher suggests
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Atomic-resolution views suggest function of enzyme that regulates light-detecting signals in eye
Atomic-resolution views suggest function of enzyme that regulates light-detecting signals in eye
(Date:12/3/2009)... , , WALL, N.J., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-Fir...in Board: BKYI), a leader in wireless public safet...ons, announced that a majority of its shareholders...ved the sale of the company,s Law Enforcement Divi...res voted, 98.6% were cast in favor and 1.2% were ...
(Date:12/3/2009)... , A coating on windows or solar panels that re...cities for the next electric car? New Tel Aviv Uni...chnology , details a breakthrough in assembling pe...se futuristic visions come true in just a few year...oughly one-billionth of a meter) and even smaller,...
(Date:12/3/2009)... , Grand Rapids, Mich. (Dec. 3, 2009) Van Ande...mined precisely how the plant hormone abscisic aci...s respond to environmental stresses such as drough...nal Nature , could help engineer crops that thriv...t global food shortages. The findings could also ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):BIO-key(R) Shareholders Overwhelmingly Approve Sale of Law Enforcement Division 2BIO-key(R) Shareholders Overwhelmingly Approve Sale of Law Enforcement Division 3A window that washes itself? 2VAI researchers find long awaited key to creating drought resistant crops 2VAI researchers find long awaited key to creating drought resistant crops 3Lab Study Makes Strides in Mending Hearts 59283 1Lab Study Makes Strides in Mending Hearts 59283 2Proteolix Inc to be Acquired By Onyx Pharmaceuticals 59278 1Proteolix Inc to be Acquired By Onyx Pharmaceuticals 59278 2Proteolix Inc to be Acquired By Onyx Pharmaceuticals 59278 3Proteolix Inc to be Acquired By Onyx Pharmaceuticals 59278 4Raptor Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Phase 2a Clinical Data in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis 28NASH 29 14428 1Raptor Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Phase 2a Clinical Data in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis 28NASH 29 14428 2Raptor Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Phase 2a Clinical Data in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis 28NASH 29 14428 3Raptor Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Phase 2a Clinical Data in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis 28NASH 29 14428 4Raptor Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Phase 2a Clinical Data in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis 28NASH 29 14428 5Raptor Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Phase 2a Clinical Data in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis 28NASH 29 14428 6
...,HANOVER, NH -- A team of Dartmouth Medical School...f arsenic disrupt the activity of a hormone critic... that arsenic at low doses (at levels found in U.S...e study appeared in the Oct. 26, 2007, online edit...es (EHP), and it will be published in a forthcomin...
...KLAND, Calif., November 14, 2007 Researchers from...f Public Health, as well as from five other sites ... the largest study to date investigating the genet... and other developmental disabilities. , The five...Early Development, will involve 2,700 children and...
...ium to be Featured in the Biggest Government IT Se...er 2007, SAN JOSE, Nov. 13 Titanium Group, Ltd (...d security solutions provider,announced today that...as,one of the key vendors to showcase their produc...Access Management Seminar and Showcase, to be held...
Other Biology News:Dartmouth researchers show effects of low dose arsenic on development 2Largest study to investigate risk factors of autism to begin enrolling families 2Titanium Group to Showcase Products and Technologies in Prestigious Government Seminar 2Titanium Group to Showcase Products and Technologies in Prestigious Government Seminar 3Titanium Group to Showcase Products and Technologies in Prestigious Government Seminar 4
(Date:12/4/2009)...Iowa, Dec. 4 Vivakor, In... its shareholders of record on December 1, 2009 wi...of HealthAmerica, Inc. that was previously approve...is a private Nevada corporation of which Vivakor o...hares on the record date. The distribution date is...
(Date:12/4/2009)...f., Dec. 4 BlueFire Etha...any focused on changing the world,s transportation...rom non-food cellulosic wastes, has been ranked nu...ottest Companies in Bioenergy;" the company,s seco...voters rank BlueFire Ethanol among the top 20 bioe...
(Date:12/3/2009)...Dec. 3 ACCESS PHARMACE...y provided an update on its European commercial la... mucositis, a debilitating side effect of radiatio...ly launched by Access, partner, SpePharm, in six E...y, Norway, Greece and Sweden. Access is conducting...
(Date:12/3/2009)...lif., Dec. 3 Peregrine P...ced that it will release its financial results for...r 10, 2009 at 7:00 a.m. EST and will host a confer...:30 a.m. EST on the same day. ,, Peregrine,s se... the second quarter ended October 31, 2009 and wil...
Breaking Biology Technology:Vivakor Confirms Record Date of Stock Dividend 2Vivakor Confirms Record Date of Stock Dividend 3BlueFire Named One of Top 20 Bioenergy Companies for Second Consecutive Year 2BlueFire Named One of Top 20 Bioenergy Companies for Second Consecutive Year 3BlueFire Named One of Top 20 Bioenergy Companies for Second Consecutive Year 4Access Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on MuGard Commercial Launch in Europe 2Access Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on MuGard Commercial Launch in Europe 3Access Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on MuGard Commercial Launch in Europe 4Peregrine Pharmaceuticals to Report Second Quarter FY 2010 Financial Results 2
...RNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 3SBio Inc.,(Nasdaq: SSRX ...used on,researching, developing, manufacturing and...t at the UBS Global Life Sciences Conference in Ne...EST. The presentation will be webcast live and ca...rs page of the 3SBio website at, http://bbs.3sbio....
...YSE: DEO ),the world,s leading spirits, wine and ... of a physician,s training program in screening an...edical Society of the State of,New York (MSSNY). ...tricted grant, is,being developed to better prepar...to alcohol abuse. This training program is being d...
...nounces Potential Breakthrough in the ...pt. 17 The British Midlands Development,Corporati...am in the,British Midlands has released a statemen...s C Vaccine. The United Kingdom is home to Europe...s in excess of $8.6 billion per year. In central E...
Other Biology Technology:Diageo Sponsors Medical Society of the State of New York's Physicians Training Program 2Diageo Sponsors Medical Society of the State of New York's Physicians Training Program 3The University of Nottingham in the British Midlands Announces Development of Possible Hepatitis C Vaccine 2The University of Nottingham in the British Midlands Announces Development of Possible Hepatitis C Vaccine 3
Tissue Stat from Biomeda Corporation
... proto-oncogene was first identified as the cellul...ne. Jun B and Jun D have been shown to be almost i...ch are involved in dimerization and DNA binding, w...d in transcriptional activation, diverge. Antig...
Mouse Anti-Yersinia pestis Capsular F1 Antigen Monoclonal Antibody, Unconjugated, Clone YBF19 from QED Bioscience Inc.
Rabbit Anti-JMJD2D Polyclonal Antibody, Unconjugated from Abcam
Biology Products: