Expression of mouse rod photoreceptor cGMP phosphodiesterase gamma subunit in bacteria.

We expressed the gamma subunit of mouse rod photoreceptor cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) in the bacterial pGFX-2TK expression vector which produces a cleavable 40 kDa fusion protein. The fusion protein can be isolated in a one step procedure by affinity chromatography on glutathione beads. The yield of purified fusion protein is approximately 10 mg from 1 liter of bacterial culture, or about 3 mg of PDE gamma equivalent to the PDE gamma content of approximately 200,000 mouse retinas. Both the fusion protein and the cleaved PDE gamma, to which a short kinase domain remains attached, are biologically active, inhibiting activated PDE in a manner comparable to native PDE gamma. Immobilized PDE gamma binds transducin alpha subunit charged with GTP, PDE alpha and beta subunits, and, unexpectedly, arrestin (S-antigen).