Crystal structure of native RPE65, the retinoid isomerase of the visual cycle.

ABSTRACT: Vertebrate vision is maintained by the retinoid (visual) cycle, a complex enzymatic pathway that operates in the retina to regenerate the visual chromophore, 11-cis-retinal. A key enzyme in this pathway is the microsomal membrane protein RPE65. This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of all-trans-retinyl esters to 11-cis-retinol in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Mutations in RPE65 are known to be responsible for a subset of cases of the most common form of childhood blindness, Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Although retinoid isomerase activity has been attributed to RPE65, its catalytic mechanism remains a matter of debate. Also, the manner in which RPE65 binds to membranes and extracts retinoid substrates is unclear. To gain insight into these questions, we determined the crystal s

SUBMITTER: Kiser PD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2765077 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature