Distribution of rod- and cone-specific phosducins in retinas of non-mammalian vertebrates

In mammalian retinas, it has been believed that just one kind of phosducin (PD) commonly exists in both rods and ones. However, we have previously reported that there are rod- and cone-specific PDs (OlPD-R and OlPD-C) in medaka (Oryzias latipes) retina [FEBS Lett., 502, 117-121, 2001]. To clarify the distribution and evolution of these photoreceptor type-specific PDs, we investigated PDs of another teleost and a reptile. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses using anti-medaka PD antisera demonstrated that two kinds of PDs are expressed in zebrafish (Danio rerio) photoreceptor cells. Our study is suggestive that teleosts generally possess rod- and cone-specific PDs. We isolated a cDNA encoding putative PD (Pm/PD) of a diurnal gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis longinsulae). Because diurnal gecko possesses a pure-cone retina, it was expected that Pm/PD would be expressed in cones. Molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that Pm/PD was more closely related to mammalian PDs than teleost cone-specific PDs, suggesting that the rod- and cone-specific subtype of teleost PDs have arisen after the teleost-tetrapod divergence. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.