Anti-RHO

Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited progressive disease which is a major cause of blindness in western communities. It can be inherited as an autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked recessive disorder. In the autosomal dominant form,which comprises about 25% of total cases, approximately 30% of families have mutations in the gene encoding the rod photoreceptor-specific protein rhodopsin. This is the transmembrane protein which, when photoexcited, initiates the visual transduction cascade. Defects in this gene are also one of the causes of congenital stationary night blindness. Protein function: Photoreceptor required for image-forming vision at low light intensity (PubMed:8107847, PubMed:7846071). Required for photoreceptor cell viability after birth (PubMed:2215617, PubMed:12566452). Light- induced isomerization of the chromophore 11-cis-retinal to all-trans- retinal triggers a conformational change that activates signaling via G-proteins (PubMed:8107847, PubMed:28524165, PubMed:26200343, PubMed:28753425). Subsequent receptor phosphorylation mediates displacement of the bound G-protein alpha subunit by the arrestin SAG and terminates signaling (PubMed:28524165, PubMed:26200343). [The UniProt Consortium]