Isolation and nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding human rhodopsin.

Abstract

The gene encoding human rhodopsin was isolated and completely sequenced. The coding region of the human rhodopsin gene is interrupted by 4 introns, which are located at positions analogous to those found in the previously characterized bovine rhodopsin gene. The amino acid sequence of human rhodopsin, deduced from the nucleotide sequence of its gene, is 348 residues long and is 93.4% homologous to that of bovine rhodopsin. Interestingly, those portions of the polypeptide chain predicted to form loops on the cytoplasmic face of rhodopsin are perfectly conserved between the human and bovine proteins.