Palmitoylation is a reversible, post-translational modification observed in a number of G-
protein-coupled receptors. To gain a better understanding of its role in visual transduction,
we produced transgenic knock-in mice that expressed a palmitoylation-deficient rhodopsin
(Palm–/–). The mutant rhodopsin was expressed at wild-type levels and showed normal
cellular localization to rod outer segments, indicating that neither rhodopsin stability nor its
intracellular trafficking were compromised. But Palm–/–rods had briefer flash responses and …