The mechanism of activation of cGMP phosphodiesterase by the GTP-binding protein in the disc membrane of retinal rods has been investigated by measuring the light-induced phosphodiesterase activity in reconstituted systems where the concentration of either the GTP-binding protein or the phosphodiesterase is varied. The results are consistent with the existence of two activator sites per phosphodiesterase functional unit: binding of one G alpha GTP (alpha subunit of the G-protein with GTP bound) with high affinity (100 +/- 50 nM) partially activates the enzyme (Vmax1 approxmately 0.05 Vmax to 0.10V max to trypsin-activated phosphodiesterase); binding of a second G alpha GTP with lower affinity (600 +/- 100 nM) induces maximal activation (Vmax2 approximately Vmax of trypsin-activated phosphodiesterase). The two different states of activated phosphodiesterase have the same Km for cGMP and the same pH dependence; they differ in their sensitivity to GMP. Micromolar concentration of protamines increases the affinity of the two activator sites and slightly increases Vmax1. When G-protein is activated with GTP-gamma S instead of GTP, the affinities of the two activator sites are not significantly modified, while Vmax1 appears to be increased.

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Light-induced GTP-dependent scattering changes are studied in suspensions of retinal disc membranes to which one or both of the purified proteins involved in the phototransduction mechanism (G-protein and cGMP phosphodiesterase) are reassociated; a scattering change which depends on the presence of both G-protein (G) and inhibited cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) and on an ATPase-dependent process, previously described in Bennett [(1986) Eur. J. Biochem. 157, 487-495] is compared to the signal observed in the absence of PDE or of ATP and to PDE activity. The same signal can also be induced either in the dark or in the light by addition of preactivated G in the presence of inhibited PDE. This PDE-dependent scattering change is composed of two components (fast and slow); the variation of the amplitude and kinetics of both components with PDE or G concentration is similar to the variation of the active PDE state with two activator GGTP molecules (G with GTP bound), calculated with dissociation constants previously reported for the interaction between GGTP and PDE [Bennett, N., & Clerc, A. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7418-7424]. The two components are therefore proposed to be associated with processes which depend on the formation of the active PDE state with two activators.

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