title: Molecular evolution of the cone visual pigments in the pure rod-retina of the nocturnal gecko, Gekko gekko.
abstract: We have isolated a full-length cDNA encoding a putative ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive visual pigment of the Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko). This clone has 57 and 59% sequence similarities to the gecko RH2 and MWS pigment genes, respectively, but it shows 87% similarity to the UV pigment gene of the American chameleon (Anolis carolinensis). The evolutionary rates of amino acid replacement are significantly higher in the three gecko pigments than in the corresponding chameleon pigments. The accelerated evolutionary rates reflect not only the transition from cones to rods in the retina but also the blue-shift in the absorption spectra of the gecko pigments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 130 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA. syokoyam@mailbox.syr.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Blow
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008116:Lizards / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000235:genetics*; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012168:Retinal Pigments; D017299:Rod Opsins