Y-chromosomal red-green opsin genes of nocturnal New World monkey.
The X-chromosomal locality of the red-green-sensitive opsin genes has been the norm for all mammals and is essential for color vision of higher primates. Owl monkeys (Aotus), a genus of New World monkeys, are the only nocturnal higher primates and are severely color-blind. We demonstrate that the owl monkeys possess extra red-green opsin genes on the Y-chromosome. The Y-linked opsin genes were found to be extremely varied, in one male appearing to be a functional gene and in other males to be multicopy pseudogenes. These Y-linked opsin genes should offer a rare opportunity to study the evolutionary fate of genes translocated to the Y chromosome.
Kawamura
Shoji
S
Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan. kawamura@k.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Takenaka
Naomi
N
Hiramatsu
Chihiro
C
Hirai
Momoki
M
Takenaka
Osamu
O
D000818:Animals; D001029:Aotus trivirgatus / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000235:genetics*; D014998:Y Chromosome
D017299:Rod Opsins