title: True blue: S-opsin is widely expressed in different animal species.
abstract: Colour vision in animals is an interesting, fascinating subject. In this study, we examined a wide variety of species for expression of S-opsin (blue sensitive) and M-/L-opsin (green-red sensitive) in retinal cones using two novel monoclonal antibodies specific for peptides from human opsins. Mouse, rat and hare did not express one of the investigated epitopes, but we could clearly prove existence of cones through peanut agglutinin labelling. Retinas of guinea pig, dog, wolf, marten, cat, roe deer, pig and horse were positive for S-opsin, but not for M-/L-opsin. Nevertheless all these species are clearly at least dichromats, because we could detect further S-opsin negative cones by labelling with cone arrestin specific antibody. In contrast, pheasant and char had M-/L-opsin positive cones, but no S-opsin expressing cones. Sheep, cattle, monkey, men, pigeon, duck and chicken were positive for both opsins. Visual acuity analyzed through density of retinal ganglion cells revealed least visual discrimination by horses and highest resolution in pheasant and pigeon. Most mammals studied are dichromats with visual perception similar to red-green blind people.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Physiology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, München, Germany Research Unit Protein Science, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany Institute of Molecular Immunology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, München, Germany Centre of Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirmer
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hauck
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kremmer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueffing
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Deeg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055253:Color Vision / Q000502:physiology*; D055358:Cone Opsins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism*; D055355:Opsins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D055358:Cone Opsins; D055355:Opsins