The retinal degeneration B (RdgB) protein family
is characterized by an amino-terminal phosphatidylinositol
transfer protein (PITP) domain, several hydrophobic domains,
and a highly conserved carboxyl terminus. We identified
a zebrafish RdgB homolog (pl-RdgB) that lacks the amino-terminal
PITP domain, while retaining over 45% amino acid identity
with the two mouse RdgB proteins (M-RdgB1 and M-RdgB2).
Unlike the widespread retinal expression observed for other
vertebrate RdgB homologs, pl-RdgB is restricted in the
retina to the cone cell inner segments. The pl-RdgB protein
is also expressed in the brain, although its distribution
is different than the other RdgB homologs. Analogous to
M-RdgB2, pl-RdgB protein is extracted from a retinal homogenate
by guanidine and not by Triton X-100. Thus, pl-RdgB and
likely all the identified RdgB homologs are not integral
membrane proteins, but may associate with the membrane
through protein–protein interactions. While expression
of either murine RdgB homolog restored the defective light
response and prevented retinal degeneration in rdgB
mutant flies, expressing zebrafish pl-RdgB in Drosophila
rdgB2 null mutants slowed retinal degeneration
without restoring the electrophysiological light response.
Thus, pl-RdgB may define a previously unrecognized protein
family, which includes the other RdgB homologs, that act
through a protein complex to maintain photoreceptor viability.