Light activation of phospholipase A2 in rod outer segments of bovine retina and its modulation by GTP-binding proteins.

Abstract

Light stimulates phospholipase A2 activity in rod outer segments (ROS) of bovine retina as measured by the liberation of arachidonate from phosphatidylcholine, in in vitro assays of dark-adapted ROS. A role for GTP-binding proteins (G or N proteins) in the light activation of phospholipase A2 is suggested by the capacity for guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) to activate phospholipase A2 in dark-adapted ROS. In contrast, addition of GTP gamma S coincident with light exposure inhibited the light activation of phospholipase A2, suggesting that phospholipase A2 activity in the ROS is under dual regulation by G proteins. Transducin, the major G protein of the ROS, mediates the activation of cGMP phosphodiesterase by light and is a substrate for both cholera and pertussis toxin. Treatment of dark-adapted ROS with either toxin inhibits both basal and light-activated phospholipase A2, mimicking the action of the toxins on the light-induced cGMP phosphodiesterase activity of ROS. There is a loss of light-sensitive phospholipase A2 activity coincident with extraction of transducin from ROS membranes. In addition, the light-sensitive phospholipase A2 activity can be partially restored by the addition of purified transducin to the extracted ROS membranes. Light activation of phospholipase A2 in ROS membranes thus occurs by a transducin-dependent mechanism.