Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To determine, using a proteomic approach, the profile of proteins expressed in the mouse retina, and its modification during the course of rod degeneration in a mouse model of retinal degeneration, the rd1 mouse. Methods: Whole cell extracts from five weeks post-natal wild-type and rd1 mouse retina as well as from purified photoreceptors were resolved using two dimensional gel electrophoresis. Proteins in spots stained by coomasie blue were excised and subjected to trypsin digestion. The mass of the tryptic peptides produced were measured by MALDI-TOF Results: The major soluble proteins from the rod phototransduction cascade were identified, and their decrease of expression following rod degeneration was confirmed. We established a correlation between the highly abundant proteins and the expression of their mRNA as tested by oligonucleotide array. This approach identifies proteins that are at high demand for retinal function and represent candidate genes for retinal diseases. A protein whose expression was increased in response to retinal degeneration was also identified. Conclusion: Proteomic studies of retinal degeneration compliment gene expression microarray data, and also allow the identification of post-translational modifications that can not be detected by observations of mRNA levels.
Keywords: 528 proteins encoded by disease genes • 517 photoreceptors • 554 retina