The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer simple epithelium in proximity to the outer surface of the retinal photoreceptor cells. Retinal pigment epithelium-specific protein (RPE65) is a 65kDa protein belonging to the beta-carotene dioxygenase family. This protein is important in 11-cis retinal production as well as in visual pigment regeneration. RPE65 is attached to the membrane by a lipid anchor when palmitoylated (membrane form) and soluble when unpalmitoylated. The soluble form of the protein binds vitamin A. Defects in RPE65 causes autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa and/or Leber congenital amaurosis type 2.
Background References
1. Zhou J et al. Correlations between Photodegradation of Bisretinoid Constituents of Retina and Dicarbonyl Adduct Deposition. J Biol Chem 290:27215-27 (2015).
2. Sukseree S et al. Tyrosinase-Cre-Mediated Deletion of the Autophagy Gene Atg7 Leads to Accumulation of the RPE65 Variant M450 in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium of C57BL/6 Mice. PLoS One 11:e0161640 (2016).
Sequence Similarity
Belongs to the carotenoid oxygenase family.
Tissue Specificity
Retina (at protein level). Retinal pigment epithelium specific.
Post-translational Modification
Palmitoylation by LRAT regulates ligand binding specificity; the palmitoylated form (membrane form) specifically binds all-trans-retinyl-palmitate, while the soluble unpalmitoylated form binds all-trans-retinol (vitamin A) (By similarity).
Proteins were transferred to a PVDF membrane and blocked with 5% NFDM/TBST for 1 hour at room temperature. The primary antibody (ET1703-82) at 1/2,000 dilution was used in 5% NFDM/TBST at 4℃ overnight. Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG - HRP Secondary Antibody (HA1001) at 1/50,000 dilution was used for 1 hour at room temperature.