PUBLICATION

A highly conserved zebrafish IMPDH retinal isoform produces the majority of guanine and forms dynamic protein filaments in photoreceptor cells

Authors
Cleghorn, W.M., Burrell, A.L., Giarmarco, M.M., Brock, D.C., Wang, Y., Chambers, Z.S., Du, J., Kollman, J.M., Brockerhoff, S.E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-211129-6
Date
2021
Source
The Journal of biological chemistry   298(1): 101441 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Brockerhoff, Susan
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Guanine*/metabolism
  • IMP Dehydrogenase*/metabolism
  • Isoenzymes/metabolism
  • Retina/cytology
  • Retina/metabolism
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells*/cytology
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells*/enzymology
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells*/metabolism
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
34813793 Full text @ J. Biol. Chem.
Abstract
Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is a key regulatory enzyme in the de novo synthesis of the purine base guanine. Dominant mutations in human IMPDH1 cause photoreceptor degeneration for reasons that are unknown. Here we sought to provide some foundational information on Impdh1a in the zebrafish retina. We found that in zebrafish, gene sub-functionalization due to ancestral duplication resulted in a predominant retinal variant expressed exclusively in rod and cone photoreceptors. This variant is structurally and functionally similar to the human IMPDH1 retinal variant and shares a reduced sensitivity to GTP-mediated inhibition. We also demonstrated that Impdh1a forms prominent protein filaments in vitro and in vivo in both rod and cone photoreceptor cell bodies, synapses, and to a lesser degree, in outer segments. These filaments changed length and cellular distribution throughout the day consistent with diurnal changes in both mRNA and protein levels. Loss of Impdh1a resulted in a substantial reduction of guanine levels, although cellular morphology and cGMP levels remained normal. Our findings demonstrate a significant role for IMPDH1 in photoreceptor guanine production and provide fundamental new information on the details of this protein in the zebrafish retina.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping