title: The effect of selection on a long wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsin gene of Lake Victoria cichlid fishes.
abstract: In East African Lake Victoria >200 endemic species of haplochromine fishes have been described on the basis of morphological and behavioral differences. Yet molecular analysis has failed to reveal any species-specific differences among these fishes in either mitochondrial or nuclear genes. Although the genes could be shown to vary, the variations represent trans-species polymorphisms not yet assorted along species lines. Nevertheless, fixed genetic differences must exist between the species at loci responsible for the adaptive characters distinguishing the various forms from one another. Here we describe variation and fixation at the long wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsin locus, which is selection-driven, adaptive, and if not species- then at least population-specific. Because color is one of the characters distinguishing species of haplochromine fishes and color perception plays an important part in food acquisition and mate choice, we suggest that the observed variation and fixation at the LWS opsin locus may have been involved in the process that has led to the spectacular species divergence of haplochromine fishes in Lake Victoria.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohey
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terai
authors.forename: Werner E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tichy
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D000351:Africa, Eastern; D000483:Alleles; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D023681:Cichlids / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005796:Genes; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008027:Light; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010858:Pigmentation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017299:Rod Opsins; C095855:long-wavelength opsin