Cloning and characterization of the cDNA and gene encoding the gamma-subunit of cGMP-phosphodiesterase in canine retinal rod photoreceptor cells

Rod photoreceptor cyclic GMP-phosphodiesterase (cGMP-PDE) is one of the key enzymes of the visual phototransduction cascade in the vertebrate retina. The enzyme is composed of alpha- and beta-catalytic subunits and two identical inhibitory gamma-subunits. A defect in any of the subunits may potentially alter the activity of the enzyme, leading to aberration in the visual phototransduction. We have cloned and sequenced both the cDNA and gene for the canine gamma-subunit of cGMP-PDE (PDE gamma). The 952-bp cDNA has a coding region of 261 bp which is very similar to those of the PDE gamma cDNAs from human, mouse and bovine retinas. Among the 87 amino acids encoded by the transcribed region, differences in only three residues located within the first 17 amino acids were identified. The carboxyl terminus of PDE gamma, involved in interaction with the catalytic subunits of cGMP-PDE and the alpha-subunit of transducin, is conserved through evolution. The single polyadenylation signal (AATAAA) present in human and bovine PDE gamma cDNAs is replaced by AGTAAA in the canine sequence. The canine gene (2.8 kb) consists of four exons and is much smaller than the human gene (6 kb). The larger size of the human gene is primarily due to the presence of AluI repetitive elements in its first two introns.