Interplay between calcium and activated cGMP phosphodiesterase from retinal rod outer segments

Hypotonic extraction of bovine retinal rod outer segments after bleaching in isotonic buffer yielded an extract exhibiting activated cGMP phosphodiesterase properties. Since this extract was virtually devoid of other proteins involved in the rod outer segment cGMP enzymatic cascade, it was used to study phosphodiesterase catalytic activity. The hypotonic extract required Mg2+ in the range 0.1-1.0 mM for optimal cGMP hydrolysis. At these Mg2+ concentrations hydrolysis could be effectively inhibited by Ca2+ at concentrations which might be attainable in rod outer segments. Since higher Ca2+ concentrations were required to give a chosen degree of inhibition at higher Mg2+ concentrations, this inhibition was probably due to competition by Ca2+ for Mg2+ binding site(s) on the phosphodiesterase catalytic unit. Other divalent cations were also able to inhibit cGMP hydrolysis, many of them (especially those with ionic radii close to that of magnesium) more effectively than calcium. It is suggested that Ca2+ may play a role in phototransduction by participating in the control of photoreceptor sensitivity, and that this is achieved by modulating rod outer segment cGMP hydrolysis.