A number of retinal proteins are phosphorylated by a variety of kinases, resulting in well-known regulatory effects. The identity and role of corresponding phosphatases is less clear. We simultaneously measured the activity of serine/ threonine protein phosphatases type 1, 2A and 2C in bovine retinae. The enzymes were classified according to substrate specificity, divalent cation requirement and the effect of phosphatase subtype-specific inhibitors. The total- and specific activity of phosphatase type 2A was prevalent. Type 2C was 10-fold less abundant. 80% of type 1 and 50% of type 2A and type 2C, respectively, were soluble. An economic purification scheme was developed. We demonstrated the presence of phosphatase isozymes 2Cα and 2Cβ in bovine rod outer segments by enzymatic analysis as well as immunological techniques. The results suggest a yet unknown role of phosphatase type 2C in phototransduction. On the other hand, the immense amount of protein phosphatases found to be soluble – therefore not associated with rod outer segment membranes – points towards participation of these enzymes in the process of visual transduction not considered thus far.

Keywords:
Dephosphorylation, Signal transduction
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