Recently, we have shown that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) in retina is regulated in vivothrough light activation of the insulin receptor
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-su
bunit. In this study, we have cloned the 41 kDacytoplasmic region of the retinal insulin receptor (IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">) and used the two-hy
brid assay of protein-proteininteraction in the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae to demonstrate the interaction
between the p85 su
bunitof PI3K and the cytoplasmic region of IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">. Under conditions where IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle"> autophosphorylates, su
bstitutionof Y1322F and M1325P in IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle"> resulted in the a
bolition of p85
binding to the IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">, confirming that thep85 su
bunit of PI3K
binds to Y1322. The
binding site for p85 on IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle"> was also confirmed in the yeastthree-hy
brid system. Using the C-terminal region of IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle"> (amino acids 1293-1343 encompassing theYHTM motif) as
bait and supplying an exogenous tyrosine kinase gene to yeast cells, we determined thatthe IR
beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">-pYTHM motif interacts with p85. We also used retinal organ cultures to demonstrate insulinactivation of the insulin receptor and su
bsequent
binding of p85, measured through GST pull-down assayswith p85 fusion proteins. Further, the Y960F mutant insulin receptor, which does not
bind IRS-1, iscapa
ble of
bringing down PI3K activity from retina lysates. On the other hand, in response to insulin,IRS-2 is a
ble to interact with the p85 su
bunit of PI3K in the retina. These results suggest that multiplesignaling pathways could regulate the PI3K activity and su
bsequent activation of Akt in the retina.