Determinants for phosphodiesterase 6 inhibition by its gamma-subunit

The interaction of phosphodiesterase 6 (PDE6) with its inhibitory Pgamma-subunits (Pgamma) is unparalleled among PDE families and is central to vertebrate phototransduction. The C-terminus of Pgamma occludes the active site of PDE6, thereby preventing hydrolysis of cGMP. In this study, we examine the determinants of this critical interaction using structure-based loss-of-function mutagenesis of a chimeric PDE5/PDE6 catalytic domain and gain-of-function mutagenesis of the PDE5 catalytic domain. This analysis revealed the key role of PDE6-specific residues within the catalytic domain M-loop-alpha-helix 15 region and suggested an important contribution of the H-loop-M-loop interface to the PDE6 inhibition by the Pgamma C-terminus. Identification of the determinants for the PDE6-Pgamma interaction offers insights into the evolution of the visual effector enzyme.