Arrestin 3, Retinal (ARR3)

Murakami et al. (1993) isolated a 1,314-bp cDNA, representing a highly retina-specific message encoding a 388-amino acid protein showing 58%, 50%, and 49% homology to bovine beta-arrestin and bovine and human retinal arrestin (S-antigen; SAG), respectively. Studies of the tissue distribution by in situ hybridization demonstrated expression of the gene in the inner and outer segments and the inner plexiform regions of the retina. Murakami et al. (1993) designated the gene X-arrestin. Compared to fly arrestins, X-arrestin showed the highest homology (37%) to that in Drosophila miranda, which is also encoded by a gene on the X chromosome. Murakami et al. (1993) speculated that X-arrestin may be involved in inactivation of rhodopsin, or, alternatively, may play a role in an as yet undefined retina-specific signal transduction.