Nanodomain organization of rhodopsin in native human and murine rod outer segment disc membranes

• The organization of rhodopsin in native membranes was visualized by AFM.
• Human and murine rhodopsins form nanodomains with similar physical properties.
• The size of nanodomains is heterogeneous within a single rod outer segment disc.
• Heterogeneity was observed among individual rod outer segment disc membranes.
• Factors contributing to nanodomain and disc membrane properties were determined.

Biological membranes display distinct domains that organize membrane proteins and signaling molecules to facilitate efficient and reliable signaling. The organization of rhodopsin, a G protein-coupled receptor, in native rod outer segment disc membranes was investigated by atomic force microscopy. Atomic force microscopy revealed that rhodopsin is arranged into domains of variable size, which we refer to herein as nanodomains, in native membranes. Quantitative analysis of 150 disc membranes revealed that the physical properties of nanodomains are conserved in humans and mice and that the properties of individual disc membranes can be variable. Examining the variable properties of disc membranes revealed some of the factors contributing to the size of rod outer segment discs and the formation of nanodomains in the membrane. The diameter of rod outer segment discs was dependent on the number of rhodopsin molecules incorporated into the membrane but independent of the spatial density of rhodopsin. The number of nanodomains present in a single disc was also dependent on the number of rhodopsin molecules incorporated into the membrane. The size of the nanodomains was largely independent of the number or spatial density of rhodopsin in the membrane.

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