The photoreceptor phosphodiesterase (PDE6) is the central effector of visual transduction in vertebrate retinal photoreceptors. Distinct isozymes of PDE6 exist in rods and cones. Mammalian retina serves as an abundant source of tissue for PDE6 purification. Methods are described for the isolation and purification of membrane-associated PDE6 from rod outer segment membranes. Purification of cone PDE6 from the soluble fraction of retinal extracts is also described. Several procedures that can purify the rod and cone isozymes to homogeneity, including anion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, gel filtration, hydroxyapatite, and immunoaffinity chromatography, are presented. A method to activate PDE6 by limited proteolysis of its inhibitory γ-subunit is also provided.
