Adaptation of visual spectra and opsin genes in seabreams.
Three species of seabreams, Acanthopagrus berda, Acanthopagrus schlegelii and Pagrus major, living at different depths, were chosen to investigate how visual spectra and opsin genes evolve in response to various photic environments. The lambda max of photoreceptors and opsin genes were measured and cloned from these species. Eight to twelve nm spectral shifts in the rod and blue cone cells were observed between the deep-sea, P. major, and shallow-sea species, A. berda and A. schlegelii. Furthermore, the deep-sea P. major has lost its red light vision. Six opsin genes, Rh1, Rh2A, Rh2B, SWS1, SWS2 and LWS, were identified from all three seabream species, with the LWS genes of P. major having undergone pseudogenization. These data indicate that the photic environment of habitats select for the physiology of visual spectra and coding of opsin genes.
Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Jiaoshi, I-Lan County 262, Taiwan.
Feng Yu
FY
Wang
Hong Young
HY
Yan
Johnny Shou-Chung
JS
Chen
Tzi Yuan
TY
Wang
Daryi
D
Wang
D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008019:Life Style; D010802:Phylogeny; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000235:genetics*; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D013053:Spectrophotometry
D017299:Rod Opsins