EVIDENCE FOR A MAGNESIUM DEPENDENT ATPase IN BOVINE ROD OUTER SEGMENT DISK MEMBRANES*†

Abstract—In the presence of Mg²⁺ and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a rapid. light-induced, light-scattering transient is observed from bovine rod outer segments (ROS). This light-scattering transient we have labelled 'A'. Ca²⁺ cannot replace Mg²⁺. nor can guanosine triphosphate (GTP) replace ATP. 'A' is observed at ATP concentrations as low as a few μM.
The half-time of 'A', 60 ms at 20° and 20 ms at 37°, is consistent with a process possibly involved in visual transduction.
'A' has the action spectrum of rhodopsin bleaching and its amplitude is strictly proportional to the fraction of rhodopsin bleached per flash. 'A' can be regenerated by 11- cis retinal.
Inhibition studics with ATP analogues, which cannot be hydrolysed and fail to evoke an 'A' response, reveal that an ATP hydrolysis process has to precede illumination in order for 'A' to occur.
On the basis of the above findings. it is proposed that there is a Mg²⁺ dependent ATPase in ROS that allows the disk membrane to assume a new membrane state which, upon illumination, is altered. giving rise to the structural phenomenon monitored as light-scattering transient 'A'.     

LIGHT INDUCED INTERACTION BETWEEN RHODOPSIN AND GTP DEPENDENT PROCESSES IN ROD OUTER SEGMENTS—I. KINETIC ANALYSES OF LIGHT SCATTERING TRANSIENTS

Abstract— A fast light-induced light scattering transient in the presence of Mg²⁺ and GTP is observed from bovine rod outer segment suspension. This transient is studied at various temperatures, degrees of photo-bleaching and GTP concentration. The kinetic analysis of this signal at low photo-bleaching (∼ 5%) reveals two different processes which are consecutive rather than simultaneous. The rate of both processes depends upon the extent of photo-bleaching and indicates that each process requires a photolyzed rhodopsin intermediate. At low temperature, the rate constant of both the processes increases with the extent of photo-bleaching while at higher temperatures it decreases. The calculated activation energy of both processes decreases with increasing photo-bleaching. It has also been observed that with decreasing GTP concentration, the rates of both processes decrease indicating that the two processes though first order are most likely bimolecular, first order in both GTP and the photolytic rhodopsin intermediate (metarhodopsin II)     

THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN BOVINE ROD OUTER SEGMENTS IN THE PRESENCE OF ATP

Abstract— We have, previously, described a light-induced near infrared (700–850 nm) light scattering transient obtained in the presence of ATP from bovine rod outer segments suspensions in which the plasma but not the disk membranes were perforated (Uhl et al ., 1979a). This transient was termed the 'A' signal. To elucidate its possible origin, we have analyzed their angular and wavelength dependencies. These data have been compared with osmotically controlled (non-light) induced light scattering changes from identical control rod outer segments suspensions. It has been found that A_D (the dark light scattering signal obtained in the presence of ATP) and A_LS (the slow component of the actinic flash induced light scattering signal, A_L) can be assigned to the swelling of the disk membranes while A_Lf (the fast component of this latter signal) can be attributed to the change in refractive index of the ROS caused by the hypsochromic spectral shift of photolyzed rhodopsin. The collective disk swelling associated with A, and A_LS is consistent with the pumping of ions into the disk lumen by the action of a disk membrane bound ATPase.     

Predictive value of the analogy between hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase and light-sensitive photoreceptor cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase: a specific role for a light-sensitive GTPase as a component in the activation sequence.

We report experiments which involve a light sensitive GTPase in the light dependent activation of retinal rod 3'5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE). The data suggest that the light activated GTPase is intermediate between rhodopsin and PDE in the light-dependent activation sequence. We list the many striking similarities between hormone sensitive adenylate cyclase and light activated PDE in order to emphasize that the findings presented herein may have predictive value for ongoing studies of the hormone sensitive adenylate cyclase specifically regarding the role of the hormone activated GTPase in the activation sequence.     

INTERFACIAL CHARGE SEPARATION IN PHOTORECEPTOR MEMBRANES

Abstract— A rapid change in an interfacial electric potential of isolated bovine rod outer-segment disc membranes occurs upon illumination. This potential change, which has been detected by the use of spin labelled hydrophobic ions, apparently occurs within a low dielectric boundary region of the membrane near the external (cytoplasmic) surface and is positive with respect to the aqueous exterior of the disk. The magnitude of the potential change is pH and temperature dependent and appears with a first-order half-time of approximately 5 ms at 23°C. A simple model in which one positive charge per bleached rhodopsin is translocated from the cytoplasmic aqueous space into the membrane low dielectric boundary region readily accounts for all experimental observations. The similarity of the boundary potential change to the R₂ phase of the early receptor potential suggests that the two have the same molecular origin.     

Transducin activation by molecular species of rhodopsin other than metarhodopsin II

Decay of metarhodopsin II was accelerated by hydroxylamine treatment or dark incubation of metarhodopsin II at 30 degrees C. The products thus obtained after decay of metarhodopsin II induced GTPase activity on transducin as well as metarhodopsin II suggesting that rhodopsin could activate transducin after the decay of metarhodopsin II intermediate. After urea-treated bovine rod outer segment membrane was completely bleached, rhodopsin in the membrane was regenerated by the addition of 11-cis retinal at various temperatures between 0 and 37 degrees C. The capacity to induce GTPase activity on transducin and phosphate incorporating capacity catalyzed by rhodopsin kinase were measured on such rhodopsins. The results showed that: (1) Regeneration of alpha band of rhodopsin was complete regardless of regeneration temperature; (2) When regenerated at temperatures below 10 degrees C, rhodopsins induced a GTPase activity on transducin in the dark even after treatment with hydroxylamine, whereas rhodopsins after regeneration at temperatures above 13 degrees C did not; (3) When regenerated at 0 degrees C, rhodopsin was phosphorylated if incubated with rhodopsin kinase and ATP in the dark, whereas the spectrally regenerated rhodopsin at 30 degrees C was not. The complete quenching of functions of photoactivated rhodopsin was achieved by recombination with 11-cis retinal at temperatures above 13 degrees C but not below 10 degrees C suggesting the existence of a low temperature intermediate upon regeneration.     

PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS IN Penicillium isariaeforme: EXOGENOUS CALCIUM SUBSTITUTES FOR LIGHT

Abstract— Penicillium isariaeforme is a photomorphogenic fungus which produces upright bundles of conidia-bearing mycelia (called coremia) when grown on a defined medium in visible (450–500 nm) light. We found that exogenous Ca²⁺ ions could substitute for light. In the dark 1–2 m M Ca²⁺ triggered coremia formation. Dark induction of coremia was specific for Ca²⁺ in that it could not be duplicated by 50 m M Ba²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Sr²⁺, or Zn²⁺. Additionally, light-induced coremia formation was inhibited by both KI (2.5 m M ) and phenylacetic acid (0.25 m M ).     

RHODOPSIN-PHOSPHOLIPID INTERACTION IN DETERGENT AND IN THE DISK

Abstract— Solubilization of cattle disk membrane in deoxycholate shifted the fluorescence emission maximum from 324 to 331 nm without changing the intensity. Tryptophyl residues are probably located at the hydrophobic interface between rhodopsin and phospholipid. Depletion of deoxycholate concentration from the solubilized disk by Sephacryl 200 column chromatography produced rhodopsin-phospholipid complexes with different characteristics that are the intermediate stages of membrane formation from homogeneous molecular solution. Association of rhodopsin takes place in a two-dimensional way even in the appreciably low content of phospholipid.
Sedimentation velocity studies showed that reassociation of lipid and rhodopsin occurs in 0.2% deoxycholate as well as in 0.05% sodium dodecylsulfate.
By using Sephacryl column we can now prepare, within 60 min, the rhodopsin-lipid complex that can form large vesicles in response to the addition of MgCl₂ without dialysis. This type of lipoprotein complex will be useful to the study of the mechanism of the two dimensional membrane formation.     

Biochemical steps in visual transduction: roles for nucleotides and calcium ions

Abstract— Recent studies from this laboratory permit the suggestion of a scheme for describing molecular mechanisms which may regulate excitation and adaptation in amphibian rod photoreceptor cells. The experiments have studied several chemical changes which occur upon illumination of isolated rod outer segments: (1) activation of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase which is sensitive to calcium concentration, (2) a resulting rapid drop in cyclic GMP levels which has stoichiometry and time course appropriate for the internal transmitter presumed to mediate between photon absorption in the disc membrane system and the permeability decrease in the plasma membrane, (3) a dephosphorylation of two small proteins whose phosphorylation is controlled by cyclic GMP levels, and (4) a slower hydrolysis of GTP which may drive efflux of calcium from the outer segment. It is suggested that the rapid decrease in sodium conductance which follows illumination is caused by the dephosphorylation of the two small proteins, with their dephosphorylation being controlled by the cyclic GMP decrease. In a slower reaction light activates a GTP-dependent extrusion of calcium from the cytoplasmic space. This lowering of internal calcium causes desensitization of the light-sensitive phosphodiesterase enzyme responsible for the cyclic GMP decrease, so that its intensity-response function now resembles that of the light-adapted rod photoreceptor. Thus, changes in plasma membrane conductance are regulated by cyclic GMP, and the sensitivity of the system is controlled by slower calcium movements which set the light-sensitivity of the phosphodiesterase enzyme. Finally, the light-initiated phosphorylation of rhodopsin also appears to play a role, with phosphorylated rhodopsin causing desensitization of the phosphodiesterase enzyme.     

Highly Selective Separation of Rhodopsin from Bovine Rod Outer Segment Membranes Using Combination of Divalent Cation and Alkyl(thio)glucoside

The micellization process of bovine rod outer segment (ROS) membranes is investigated utilizing a series of neutral detergents. It is found that when alkyl(thio)glucosides with an appropriate hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (e.g. octylthioglucoside) are used in combination with a divalent cation, rhodopsin is selectively extracted from ROS membranes at a specific detergent-to-membrane ratio. This allows remarkable purification of rhodopsin by a single-step solubilization, because the residual membranes are heavily aggregated in the presence of divalent cation and are therefore easily sedimented by low-speed centrifugation. The absorption spectrum of the supernatant reproducibly exhibits an A₂₈₀/A₅₀₀ value of 1.6, an excellent value that could rarely be obtained by chromatographic purification. The degree of purification also depends on the type of divalent cation included in the solubilization solution; specific binding of IIB-series cations (Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺) to ROS membranes is suggested to play an important role in the solubilization process. The present result represents a unique example of selective solubilization of a specific membrane protein from highly aggregated membranes.     

ATP-GTP-BINDING PROTEINS AND ENDOGENOUS ADP-RIBOSYL TRANSFERASE IN Lemna paucicostata 441

Abstract— A crude extract containing membrane components of Lemna paucicostata was treated with 1% Lubrol PX and fractionated by gel nitration. Binding activities to non-hydrolyzable analogues of ATP, [³⁵S]ATPγS (adenosine 5'[;γ-thio]triphosphate) and that of GTP, [³⁵S]GTPγS (guanosine 5'[γ-thiojtriphosphate) were detected in some fractions, and these activities were prevented in the presence of 0.1 mM ATP or GTP. ATP and GTP were 2 to 3 orders of magnitude more effective than CTP or UTP in preventing this binding activity. These fractions showed ATPase and GTPase activities with 1 nM [γ-³²P]ATP or [γ–³²P]GTP substrate. Analyses by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of these fractions after binding with [³⁵S]ATPγS or [³⁵S]GTP-γ S revealed that these fractions contained [³⁵S]ATPγS and [³⁵S]GTPγS binding proteins with molecular weights of 53 000 and 60 000, respectively. Both of these proteins were [³²P]ADP-ribosylated by endogenous ADP-ribosyl transferase. Three proteins with molecular weights of 11 000, 12 000 and 13 000 which could bind [³⁵S]ATP7S or [-³⁵S]GTP-γ S were ADP-ribosylated by endogenous ADP-ribosyl transferase. Pertussis toxin stimulated ADP-ribosylation of these proteins. Four proteins with molecular weight of 37 000, 50 000, 80 000 and 115 000 with P^SS]ATP7S and [^,3S]GTP7S binding activities were also detected. The signal transduction of light to underlying clock mechanism in Lemna may be controlled by ATP-GTP-binding proteins and by the ADP-ribosylation of these proteins.     

ORIENTATION OF RETINYLIDENE CHROMOPHORE OF HYPSORHODOPSIN IN FROG RETINA

Abstract— Hypsorhodopsin and bathorhodopsin were formed in the frog retina by irradiating rhodopsin at liquid He temperature (9 K) with orange light (> 520 nm) and blue light (437 nm), respectively. Hypsorhodopsin was converted to bathorhodopsin in the retina by warming above 32 K in the dark. Similar phenomena were observed in the rod outer segment suspension. A difference spectrum between hypsorhodopsin and bathorhodopsin in the retina produced by warming was almost identical with that in the rod outer segment suspension. This suggests that the transition dipole moment of hypsorhodopsin is parallel to the disk membrane plane which is also parallel to that of bathorhodopsin.     

LIGHT-INDUCIBLE ABSORBANCE CHANGES AND VANADATE-SENSITIVE ATPase ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRESUMPTIVE PLASMA MEMBRANE FRACTION FROM CAULIFLOWER INFLORESCENCES

Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of a microsomal membrane fraction of cauliflower inflorescences showed a strong correlation between a blue light mediated cytochrome b reduction (LIAC) and an ion stimulated nitrate-insensitive but a vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity at 38-40% sucrose. LIAC activity and vanadate-sensitive ATPase might be assigned to the same type of membrane different from ER, Golgi, tonoplast and mitochondria. The Mg²⁺-dependent ATP-hydrolytic activity obtained after purification of the microsomal fraction on an aqueous polymer two phase system was partially characterized. Temperature optimum (40°C), pH optimum (pH 7.0), vanadate inhibition (I₅₀ at 20 μ M ), substrate kinetics ( K _m= 1.37 m M Mg.ATP) and inhibitor studies all point to the presence of the frequently described plasma membrane ATPase. Potassium and Na⁺ stimulated the enzyme activity (20-40%). In general our data arc strongly in favour of the hypothesis that LIAC activity is localized on the plant plasma membrane. The cytochrome b involved in the light reaction has a midpoint potential near +150 mV. This cytochrome which has been previously shown in a cauliflower microsomal fraction is a constituent of the plasma membrane.     

Distribution of Chlorophyll- and Bacteriochlorophyll-derived Photosensitizers in Human Blood Plasma

Chlorophyll a and, in particular, bacteriochlorophyll a derivatives are promising candidates for photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy. The distribution of 21 (bacterio)chlorophyll derivatives among human blood plasma fractions was studied by iodixanol gradient ultracentrifugation and in situ absorption spectroscopy. Modifications of the natural pigments involved the central metal (Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pd²⁺, none), the isocyclic ring (closed, open and taurinated), substituents at C-3 (vinyl, acetyl, 1-hydroxyethyl) and C-17³ (phytyl ester, free acid). Cellular blood components bound only a small fraction of the pigments. Distribution among low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and high-density proteins (HDP) of the plasma was influenced as follows: (1) application in Cremophor^® EL slightly altered pigment distribution by lipoprotein modification, (2) only very polar pigments with multiple hydrophilic substituents showed substantial HDP binding, (3) the presence of the esterifying alcohol at C-17³ caused enrichment in LDL, this was more pronounced with bacteriochlorophylls than with chlorophylls, (4) substituents at C-3 had only little influence on the distribution, (5) Zn²⁺-complexes were enriched in HDL compared to Mg²⁺ and Pd²⁺ complexes, indicating specific binding of the former. Equilibration of pigments among the different fractions was largely complete within 3 h.     

Spatial arrangement of rhodopsin in the disk membrane as studied by enzymatic labeling.

Abstract—Intact disks prepared from fresh bovine retinas were phosphorylated with γ-[³²P]-ATP and highly purified rhodopsin kinase. After regeneration. the visual pigment was cxtracted and purified on ECTEOLA-cellulose. The purified pigment contained [³²P]-radioactivity. When intact disks were frozen and thawed. the membrane was inverted and became capable of binding concanavalin A. The inversion process could be followed by measuring the entrapment by the disk of [³H]-inulin. the impermeable polysaccharide. When the inverted disks were incubated with UDP-[³H]-galactose and galactosyltransferase and rhodopsin was extracted and purified. [³H]-gahctose was incorporated into the pigment. From these results we conclude that rhodopsin is a transmembrane protein with its carbohydrate moiety on the internal (intradiscal) surface and its phosphorylation sites on the external (interdiscal) surface     

FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF CATTLE RHODOPSIN IN SOLUBLE COMPLEX WITH PHOSPHOLIPIDS and DEOXYCHOLATE

Abstract— The necessary conditions of bleached rhodopsin to activate GTPase and to regenerate α-band were studied by changing the number of bound phospholipids to rhodopsin using gel filtration procedure. The number of bound phospholipids per mole of rhodopsin (bPL/rho) in the eluants was reproducibly controlled by the concentration of sodium deoxycholate (DOC) in the elution buffer. The eluants were soluble complexes composed of rhodopsin with original a-band, disk phospholipids and DOC. The regenerability of α-band depended on bPL/rho but neither on the concentration of DOC nor on state of aggregation of rhodopsin. The lowest number of bPL/rho for this activity under our experimental conditions was estimated to be30–50 in bPL/rho. GTPase was activated only by such complexes that had a nearly original quantity of bPL/rho in disk membranes. Other complexes with less bPL/rho showed aggregation upon bleaching and did not activate GTPase. The amount of phospholipids present in the disk membranes is sufficient to prevent aggregation of rhodopsin upon bleaching.     

THE FORMATION OF TWO FORMS OF BATHORHODOPSIN AND THEIR OPTICAL PROPERTIES

Abstract— Using two kinds of rhodopsin preparations (digitonin extract and rod outer segments suspension), we measured changes in absorption spectra during the conversion of rhodopsin or isorhodopsin to a photosteady state mixture composed of rhodopsin, isorhodopsin and bathorhodopsin by irradiation with blue light (437 nm) at 77 K and during the reversion of bathorhodopsin to a mixture of rhodopsin and isorhodopsin by irradiation with red light (> 650 nm) at 77 K. The reaction kinetics could be expressed with only one exponential in the former case and with two exponentials in the latter case. These data suggest that both rhodopsin and isorhodopsin are composed of a single molecular species, while bathorhodopsin is composed of two molecular species, designated as bathorhodopsin₁ and bathorhodopsin₂. The absorption spectra of these bathorhodopsin were calculated by two different methods (kinetic method and warming-cooling method). The former was based on the kinetics of the conversion of two forms of bathorhodopsin by irradiation with the red light. The spectra obtained by this method were consistent with those obtained by the warming-cooling method. Bathorhodopsin₁ and bathorhodopsin₂ have Λ_max at 555 and 538 nm, respectively. The two forms of bathorhodopsin are interconvertible in the light, but not in the dark. Thus, we suggest that a rhodopsin molecule in the excited state relaxes to either bathorhodopsin₁ or bathorhodopsin₂ through one of the two parallel pathways.     

ORIENTATION OF AROMATIC RESIDUES IN RHODOPSIN. ROTATION OF ONE TRYPTOPHAN UPON THE META I→META II TRANSITION AFTER ILLUMINATION

Abstract— Linear dichroism measurements have been performed in the visible and the UV on suspensions of intact retinal rod outer segments, isolated from frog and from cattle retinas and oriented by a magnetic field. In the UV a sharp double peaked signal is observed around 290 nm. It is characteristic of a tryptophan residue having its ¹L_b transition oriented preferentially perpendicular to the membrane plane. Only one tryptophan residue per rhodopsin molecule seems to be involved, and this is insufficient to account for the diamagnetic anisotropy of the rods which causes their orientation. Upon bleaching one observes a rotation of this tryptophan coupled to the Meta I →Meta II transition, and the rotation is reversed in the next step Meta II → Meta III. The correlation with other spectral changes suggests that this tryptophan is in close relation with the retinal chromophore.     

QUANTUM EFFICIENCY AND PHOTOSENSITIVITY OF THE RHODOPSIN ⇌ METARHODOPSIN CONVERSION IN CRAYFISH PHOTORECEPTORS

Photosensitivity (K_λ) of a visual pigment is the product of the molecular absorption coefficient (α_λ) and the quantum efficiency for photoconversion (γ). Among the invertebrates, many visual pigments are stable not only in the rhodopsin (R) conformation but also as the photoproduct, metarhodopsin (M), We here employ a method for determining the photosensitivities of the two stable pigments of a rhodopsin-metarhodopsin pair, using kinetic analysis of fluorescence from metarhodopsin combined with measurements of spectral absorption made before and after saturation at the isosbestic wavelength of the pigment pair. A curve fitting technique, in which a theoretical function is scaled for best fit to the measured absorption spectrum of the photosteady-state mixture, yields values for the photosensitivity of rhodopsin at λ._max, the ratio of quantum efficiencies for rhodopsin—metarhodopsin interconversion, and the fractional composition of the steady-state mixture. With knowledge of the molecular extinction coefficient, the absolute values of quantum efficiency can be calculated. For crayfish ( Orconectes, Procambarus ) rhodopsin, measured in isolated rhabdoms, K_max= 1.05 x 10^-16 cm² at 535 nm with >7λR→M0.69. These values are similar to the photosensitivity and quantum efficiency of bleaching of vertebrate rhodopsins in digitonin solution (Dartnall, 1972). For the metarhodopsin, K_max= 1.02 x 10^-16 cm² at 510 nm, and λ_M-R= 0.49.     

Rhodopsin phosphorylation suggests biochemical heterogeneities of retinal rod disks.

Frogs (Rana pipiens) were injected subcutaneously with (3H)-leucine and allowed to incorporate the radioactive amino acid into newly assembled disks in the retinal rod outer segment. The labeled disks served as a temporal marker for following the turnover of rod outer segments. Animals were killed at different times after injection and outer segments were isolated and phosphorylated with ATP in the light. The visual pigment (as isorhodopsin) was regenerated with 9-cis retinal, extracted, and chromatographed on epichlorohydrin triethanolamine cellulose so that phosphorylated pigment could be separated from unphosphorylated pigment. The ratio of (3H)-radioactivity of phosphorylated pigment to that of unphosphorylated pigment was then plotted against the time after injection. The ratio was high when (3H)-labeled disks were largely associated with the basal region of the rod and decreased as the labeled disks moved toward the rod apical region. The results were interpreted as suggesting that newer disks are phosphorylated preferentially to older disks. Papain digestion of (3H)-labeled disks indicated that rhodopsin in newer disks is more susceptible to proteolysis than that in older disks.