RGS9, A GTPASE ACCELERATOR FOR PHOTOTRANSDUCTION

The rod outer segment phototransduction GAP (GTPase-accelerating prote in) has been identified as RGS9, a member of the RGS family of Ga GAPs . RGS9 mRNA expression is specific for photoreceptor cells, and RGS9 p rotein colocalizes with other phototransduction components to photorec eptor outer segment membranes. The RGS domain of RGS9 accelerates GTP hydrolysis by the visual G protein transducin (G alpha(t)), and this a cceleration is enhanced by the gamma subunit of the phototransduction effector cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDEgamma). These unique properties of RGS9 match those of the rod outer segment GAP and implicate it as a k ey element in the recovery phase of visual transduction.