Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate: light-mediated breakdown in the vertebrate retina.

Isolated frog (Rana Pipiens) retinas were labeled in the dark with either [32P] PO4-orthophosphate or myo-[2-3H]inositol for 2.5-4 hrs. After washing the retinas with cold buffer, they were exposed to brief flashes of light (5 secs or 15 secs) and their rod outer segments isolated. Upon separation of labeled phospholipids, a specific decrease in label in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was observed, whereas there was no significant effect on the labeling of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol, or phosphatidic acid. These results are indicative of a light-activated phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-specific phospholipase C in frog rod outer segments.