This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager NURSA Molecule Pages Link Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Srinivas, M. Articles by Forrest, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Srinivas, M. Articles by Forrest, D.

Activation of the Blue Opsin Gene in Cone Photoreceptor Development by Retinoid-Related Orphan Receptor ß

Department of Human Genetics (M.S.), Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029; and National Institutes of Health (NIH) (L.N., H.L., L.J., D.F.), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Clinical Endocrinology Branch, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1772

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Douglas Forrest, National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH/NIDDK), Clinical Endocrinology Branch, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1772. E-mail: forrestd{at}niddk.nih.gov

Color vision requires the expression of opsin photopigments with different wavelength sensitivities in retinal cone photoreceptors. The basic color visual system of mammals is dichromatic, involving differential expression in the cone population of two opsins with sensitivity to short (S, blue) or medium (M, green) wavelengths. However, little is known of the factors that directly activate these opsin genes and thereby contribute to the S or M opsin identity of the cone. We report that the orphan nuclear receptor RORß (retinoid-related orphan receptor ß) activates the S opsin gene (Opn1sw) through binding sites upstream of the gene. RORß lacks a known physiological ligand and activates the Opn1sw promoter modestly alone but strongly in synergy with the retinal cone-rod homeobox factor (CRX), suggesting a cooperative means of enhancing RORß activity. Comparison of wild-type and mutant lacZ reporter transgenes showed that the RORß-binding sites in Opn1sw are required for expression in mouse retina. RORß-deficient mice fail to induce S opsin appropriately during postnatal cone development. Photoreceptors in these mice also lack outer segments, indicating additional functions for RORß in photoreceptor morphological maturation. The results identify Opn1sw as a target gene for RORß and suggest a key role for RORß in regulating opsin expression in the color visual system.

NURSA Molecule Pages Link:

Nuclear Receptors:   RORβ

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. L. Cheng, K. J. Gan, and I. N. Flamarique Thyroid Hormone Induces a Time-Dependent Opsin Switch in the Retina of Salmonid Fishes Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., June 1, 2009; 50(6): 3024 - 3032. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-p. Lin, Y. Ouchi, S. Satoh, and S. Watanabe Sox2 Plays a Role in the Induction of Amacrine and Muller Glial Cells in Mouse Retinal Progenitor Cells Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2009; 50(1): 68 - 74. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Takechi, S. Seno, and S. Kawamura Identification of cis-Acting Elements Repressing Blue Opsin Expression in Zebrafish UV Cones and Pineal Cells J. Biol. Chem., November 14, 2008; 283(46): 31625 - 31632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Wada, H. S. Kang, A. M. Jetten, and W. Xie The Emerging Role of Nuclear Receptor ROR{alpha} and Its Crosstalk with LXR in Xeno- and Endobiotic Gene Regulation Experimental Biology and Medicine, October 1, 2008; 233(10): 1191 - 1201. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Liu, P. Etter, S. Hayes, I. Jones, B. Nelson, B. Hartman, D. Forrest, and T. A. Reh NeuroD1 Regulates Expression of Thyroid Hormone Receptor 2 and Cone Opsins in the Developing Mouse Retina J. Neurosci., January 16, 2008; 28(3): 749 - 756. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Jomary and S. E. Jones Induction of Functional Photoreceptor Phenotype by Exogenous Crx Expression in Mouse Retinal Stem Cells Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2008; 49(1): 429 - 437. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. L. Cheng and I. N. Flamarique Chromatic organization of cone photoreceptors in the retina of rainbow trout: single cones irreversibly switch from UV (SWS1) to blue (SWS2) light sensitive opsin during natural development J. Exp. Biol., December 1, 2007; 210(23): 4123 - 4135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. S. Kang, M. Angers, J. Y. Beak, X. Wu, J. M. Gimble, T. Wada, W. Xie, J. B. Collins, S. F. Grissom, and A. M. Jetten Gene expression profiling reveals a regulatory role for ROR{alpha} and ROR{gamma} in phase I and phase II metabolism Physiol Genomics, October 19, 2007; 31(2): 281 - 294. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G.-H. Peng and S. Chen Crx activates opsin transcription by recruiting HAT-containing co-activators and promoting histone acetylation Hum. Mol. Genet., October 15, 2007; 16(20): 2433 - 2452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Jones, L. Ng, H. Liu, and D. Forrest An Intron Control Region Differentially Regulates Expression of Thyroid Hormone Receptor {beta}2 in the Cochlea, Pituitary, and Cone Photoreceptors Mol. Endocrinol., May 1, 2007; 21(5): 1108 - 1119. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. C. T. Oh, N. Khan, E. Novelli, H. Khanna, E. Strettoi, and A. Swaroop From the Cover: Transformation of cone precursors to functional rod photoreceptors by bZIP transcription factor NRL PNAS, January 30, 2007; 104(5): 1679 - 1684. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]