The PDE6C gene provides instructions for making one part (called the alpha-prime subunit) of an enzyme called cone-specific phosphodiesterase. This enzyme is found exclusively in light-detecting (photoreceptor) cells called cones, which are located in a specialized tissue at the back of the eye known as the retina. Cones provide vision in bright light (daylight vision), including color vision. Other photoreceptor cells, called rods, provide vision in low light (night vision).

When light enters the eye, it stimulates specialized pigments in photoreceptor cells. This stimulation triggers a series of chemical reactions that produce an electrical signal, which is interpreted by the brain as vision. This process is called phototransduction. Cone-specific phosphodiesterase carries out one of the reactions in this process. Specifically, the enzyme converts a molecule called cGMP to another molecule, 5'-GMP, in cones. This conversion causes certain channels on the cell membrane to close. The closing of these channels triggers the transmission of visual signals to the brain.

Tests Listed in the Genetic Testing Registry

• Tests of PDE6C

Scientific Articles on PubMed

• PubMed

Catalog of Genes and Diseases from OMIM

• PHOSPHODIESTERASE 6C; PDE6C

Gene and Variant Databases

• NCBI Gene
• ClinVar

• Chang B, Grau T, Dangel S, Hurd R, Jurklies B, Sener EC, Andreasson S, Dollfus H, Baumann B, Bolz S, Artemyev N, Kohl S, Heckenlively J, Wissinger B. A homologous genetic basis of the murine cpfl1 mutant and human achromatopsia linked to mutations in the PDE6C gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Nov 17;106(46):19581-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0907720106. Epub 2009 Nov 3. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
• Grau T, Artemyev NO, Rosenberg T, Dollfus H, Haugen OH, Cumhur Sener E, Jurklies B, Andreasson S, Kernstock C, Larsen M, Zrenner E, Wissinger B, Kohl S. Decreased catalytic activity and altered activation properties of PDE6C mutants associated with autosomal recessive achromatopsia. Hum Mol Genet. 2011 Feb 15;20(4):719-30. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddq517. Epub 2010 Dec 1. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
• Kohl S, Jagle H, Wissinger B, Zobor D. Achromatopsia. 2004 Jun 24 [updated 2018 Sep 20]. In: Adam MP, Feldman J, Mirzaa GM, Pagon RA, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews(R) [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2025. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1418/ Citation on PubMed
• Thiadens AA, den Hollander AI, Roosing S, Nabuurs SB, Zekveld-Vroon RC, Collin RW, De Baere E, Koenekoop RK, van Schooneveld MJ, Strom TM, van Lith-Verhoeven JJ, Lotery AJ, van Moll-Ramirez N, Leroy BP, van den Born LI, Hoyng CB, Cremers FP, Klaver CC. Homozygosity mapping reveals PDE6C mutations in patients with early-onset cone photoreceptor disorders. Am J Hum Genet. 2009 Aug;85(2):240-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2009.06.016. Epub 2009 Jul 16. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central