Phototransduction molecules in the pigeon deep brain.
Photoreceptive areas responsible for the regulation of photoperiodicity have been localized in the brain of some avian species. We found that immunoreactivities to rhodopsin and the alpha-subunit of rod-type transducin (Gt(1)alpha) were colocalized in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contacting neurons in the pigeon lateral septum, a possible site for photoreception. Furthermore, RT-PCR analyses showed specific gene expression of both cGMP-phosphodiesterase beta-subunit and cone-type cGMP-gated cation channel alpha-subunit in this region. These results suggest that several components in rod/cone photoreceptors compositely contribute to the deep encephalic phototransduction cascade.
Wada
Y
Y
Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Okano
T
T
Fukada
Y
Y
D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D010856:Columbidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054707:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 6; D054815:Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Cation Channels; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015293:Transducin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*
D054815:Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Cation Channels; D007473:Ion Channels; D012243:Rhodopsin; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases; D054707:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 6; D015293:Transducin