Question

Explain

In the visual system what would be the effect on membrane potential of a mutation that prevents transducin from dissociating from rhodopsin? Explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

Transducin (Gt) is a protein naturally expressed in vertebrate retina rods and cones and it is very important in vertebrate phototransduction. It is a type of heterotrimeric G-protein with different α subunits in rod and cone photoreceptors.Transducin is activated by metarhodopsin II, a conformational change in rhodopsin caused by the absorption of a photon by the rhodopsin moiety retinal.The light causes isomerization of retinal from 11-cis to all-trans. Isomerization causes a change in the opsin to become metarhodopsin II. When metarhodopsin activates transducin, the guanosine diphosphate (GDP) bound to the α subunit (Tα) is exchanged for guanosine triphosphate (GTP) from the cytoplasm. The α subunit dissociates from the βγ subunits (Tβγ.) Activated transducin α-subunit activates cGMP phosphodiesterase.cGMP phosphodiesterase breaks down cGMP, an intracellular second messenger which opens cGMP-gated cation channels. Phosphodiesterase hydrolyzes cGMP to 5’-GMP. Decrease in cGMP concentration leads to decreased opening of cation channels and subsequently, hyperpolarization of the membrane potential.