RPE65 Palmitoylation: A Tale of Lipid Posttranslational Modification

RPE65, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) membrane-associated retinoid isomerase, plays an indispensable role in sustaining visual function in vertebrates. An important aspect which has attracted considerable attention is the posttranslational modification by S-palmitoylation of RPE65. Some studies show that RPE65 is a palmitoylated protein, but others deny that conclusion. While it is considered to be mainly responsible for RPE65’s membrane association, we still lack conclusive evidence about RPE65 palmitoylation. In this review, we provide an overview of the history and current understanding of RPE65 palmitoylation.