Background of the antigen
Retinitis pigmentosa 1 is a novel 2,156 amino acid oxygen-regulated photoreceptor specific to retina. Originally named ORP1 (for 'oxygen-regulated protein-1'), the expression of retinitis pigmentosa 1 has been found to be regulated by oxygen levels in the retina. Mutation of the retinitis pigmentosa 1 gene causes dominant retinitis pigmentosa which leads to degeneration of retinal photoreceptor cells and symptoms such as night vision blindness and deficits in the midperipheral visual field. Retinitis pigmentosa 1 may assist in differentiation of photoreceptor cells and has been identified in the cilia of photoreceptors, possibly aiding in both cilial structure and protein transport between inner and outer segments of photoreceptors. Retinitis pigmentosa 1 contains two doublecortin domains and is encoded by a gene which maps to human chromosome 8q11-q13.
