title: Two opsin genes from the vetch aphid, Megoura viciae.
abstract: The cDNAs of two opsins (Megopsin1 and Megopsin2) from the vetch aphid, Megoura viciae, have been sequenced and encoded for gene products with 378 and 371 amino acid residues, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that Megopsin1 falls into the insect long-wavelength opsin group and Megopsin2 is a member of the insect UV-wavelength opsins. Both opsins share the key features of G-protein-coupled receptors and the specific motifs of photopigments. In situ hybridization demonstrated that the transcripts of Megopsin1 and Megopsin2 were expressed in the retinula cells of the compound eyes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardie
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005123:Eye / Q000737:chemistry; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000469:parasitology*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014785:Vision, Ocular
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D017299:Rod Opsins; C409445:megopsin1 protein, Megoura viciae; C409446:megopsin2 protein, Megoura viciae