title: The rhodopsin-encoding gene of bony fish lacks introns.
abstract: A study of the sequences of the rhodopsin-encoding genes (Rh) in eight fish species from two of the major subdivisions of the teleosts reveals that no introns are present in the coding region. This contrasts with the opsin-encoding genes of all other vertebrates where either four or five introns are invariably found. Phylogenetic analysis shows that this intronless teleost Rh is homologous to the intron-containing Rh of amphibia, birds and mammals. Possible mechanisms for intron loss are discussed, including replacement by homologous conversion of Rh with a processed cDNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Ophthalmology, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fitzgibbon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Slobodyanyuk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bellingham
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Bowmaker
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D000663:Amphibians / Q000235:genetics; D000811:Anguilla / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D017931:DNA Primers; D049832:Decapodiformes / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006054:Goldfish / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics*; D014981:Xenopus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012243:Rhodopsin