title: Expression of α-gustducin in mammalian retinas.
abstract: α-Gustducin (Gα-gust) is the α subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein complex specific for taste receptor cells of the tongue. However, it has been shown to be present in ectopic regions, such as airways and digestive tract. Recently, Gα-gust was found within neurons in various regions of the mouse brain. In this study, we tested whether Gα-gust is expressed in the mammalian retina. Gα-gust was identified in mouse, rat, and rabbit retinas by western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses. Double-labeling experiments in the mouse retina clearly showed that Gα-gust is exclusively expressed in the axon terminals of the rod bipolar cells. The evidence suggests that Gα-gust may selectively participate in signal transduction in the axon terminals of rod bipolar cells in the mammalian retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Yung Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shin Ae
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung-Hoon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: In-Beom
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Man Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051245:Retinal Bipolar Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; C524407:GNAT3 protein, mouse; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins