Genomic and spectral analyses of long to middle wavelength-sensitive visual pigments of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus).
The genetic basis of red-green color vision of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is not fully understood. Here, we have cloned and characterized the three alleles at a locus that encode the long to middle wavelength-sensitive (LWS/MWS) visual pigments of this species. Using in situ hybridization, we localized this locus to the telomeric region of the long arm of X chromosome. The three visual pigments achieve the wavelengths of maximal absorption at 561, 553, and 539 nm and fully explain the red-green color vision of the common marmoset. The 'tri-allelic single-locus X-chromosome' model operates under the unique phenomenon, known as blood chimerism.
Kawamura
S
S
Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033, Tokyo, Japan. kawamura@k.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Hirai
M
M
Takenaka
O
O
Radlwimmer
F B
FB
Yokoyama
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002144:Callithrix / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000235:genetics*; D014960:X Chromosome
D012168:Retinal Pigments