title: Aipl1 is required for cone photoreceptor function and survival through the stability of Pde6c and Gc3 in zebrafish.
abstract: Genetic mutations in aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein-like 1 (AIPL1) cause photoreceptor degeneration associated with Leber congenital amaurosis 4 (LCA4) in human patients. Here we report retinal phenotypes of a zebrafish aipl1 mutant, gold rush (gosh). In zebrafish, there are two aipl1 genes, aipl1a and aipl1b, which are expressed mainly in rods and cones, respectively. The gosh mutant gene encodes cone-specific aipl1, aipl1b. Cone photoreceptors undergo progressive degeneration in the gosh mutant, indicating that aipl1b is required for cone survival. Furthermore, the cone-specific subunit of cGMP phosphodiesterase 6 (Pde6c) is markedly decreased in the gosh mutant, and the gosh mutation genetically interacts with zebrafish pde6c mutation eclipse (els). These data suggest that Aipl1 is required for Pde6c stability and function. In addition to Pde6c, we found that zebrafish cone-specific guanylate cyclase, zGc3, is also decreased in the gosh and els mutants. Furthermore, zGc3 knockdown embryos showed a marked reduction in Pde6c. These observations illustrate the interdependence of cGMP metabolism regulators between Aipl1, Pde6c, and Gc3 in photoreceptors.
authors.affiliation: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iribarne
authors.affiliation: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
authors.affiliation: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Shohei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araragi
authors.affiliation: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oguri
authors.affiliation: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Masai
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D054707:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D005306:Fertilization; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D055355:Opsins / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D055550:Protein Stability; D021381:Protein Transport; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000473:pathology; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C000629129:Aipl1 protein, zebrafish; D055355:Opsins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C586891:Pde6c protein, zebrafish; D054707:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 6; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; C000629128:gucy2d protein, zebrafish; D006152:Cyclic GMP