title: Identification of 2':3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase in the vertebrate retina.
abstract: The enzyme, 2':3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (2':3'-cNMP-3'-ase) has been used as a marker in the nervous system for the presence of myelin membrane or myelin-producing glial cells. In this study, goldfish and bovine neural retinas are found to have high levels of such a diesterase activity. Analysis of retinal tissue incubated with 2':3'-cAMP shows only 2'-AMP as the reaction product, indicating the selective hydrolysis of the cyclic nucleotide. Microdissection of the goldfish retina demonstrates the highest 2':3'-cNMP-3'-ase activity in the region of the photoreceptors. A fraction enriched in bovine rod outer segments has about a 5-fold increase in specific enzyme activity when compared to whole retina preparations. These data suggest that 2':3'-cNMP-3'-ase is either closely associated with or is an intrinsic feature of vertebrate photoreceptor elements. The retina, which contains this enzyme, may serve as a model to investigate the influence of 2':3'-cyclic nucleotides on a function of the nervous system.
mesh_terms: D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D006054:Goldfish / Q000378:metabolism*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000201:enzymology; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP; D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases