Interaction of visual pigment with G-protein: effects of bleaching in native and reconstituted ROS preparations

Native and reconstituted preparations of bullfrog rod outer segment (ROS) membranes were analysed for the binding of the alpha and beta subunits of G-protein. Following incubation at 22-28 degrees C under varying conditions of illumination and chemical treatment, preparations were chilled and extracted with hypotonic medium lacking-vs.-containing GTP (H and HG extracts, respectively). The extent of binding of G alpha,beta ('percentage G bound') was determined by measurement of the relative abundance of G alpha, beta in the H and HG extracts. The addition of G to unbleached, G-depleted membranes (D-ROS) yielded relatively little binding of the G (14 +/- 13%). G reintroduced at congruent to 1 min vs. congruent to 90 min after major bleaching yielded, respectively, levels of binding of 88 +/- 8% and 24 +/- 8%. Native G, extracted at congruent to 90 min post-bleach and added to freshly bleached D-ROS, exhibited binding exceeding that in the parent (bleached +90 min) sample. Supplementation of reconstituted suspensions with all-trans retinal, and subsequent incubation in darkness, yielded 30-35% G-binding; similar treatment with 11-cis retinal yielded binding in the range of 0-32%. Upon irradiation, suspensions previously supplemented with either isomer exhibited approximately 60% binding. Incubation with 11-cis retinal had no substantial effect on the condition of tight binding observed shortly after bleaching. The data are discussed in relation to previous studies of visual pigment bleaching and regeneration.