Ancient colour vision: Multiple opsin genes in the ancestral vertebrates

S.P. Collin; M.A. Knight; W.L. Davies; I.C. Potter; D.M. Hunt; A.E.O. Trezise

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2003.10.044

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Ancient colour vision: Multiple opsin genes in the ancestral vertebrates

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Ancient colour vision: Multiple opsin genes in the ancestral vertebrates

S.P. Collin, M.A. Knight, W.L. Davies, I.C. Potter, D.M. Hunt and A.E.O. Trezise

Current Biology, Vol.13(22), pp.R864-R865

2003

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2003.10.044

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Abstract

Molecular investigation of the origin of colour vision has discovered five visual pigment (opsin) genes, all of which are expressed in an agnathan (jawless) fish, the lamprey Geotria australis. Lampreys are extant representatives of an ancient group of vertebrates whose origins are thought to date back to at least the early Cambrian, approximately 540 million years ago [1]. Phylogenetic analysis has identified the visual pigment opsin genes of G. australis as orthologues of the major classes of vertebrate opsin genes. Therefore, multiple opsin genes must have originated very early in vertebrate evolution, prior to the separation of the jawed and jawless vertebrate lineages, and thereby provided the genetic basis for colour vision in all vertebrate species. The southern hemisphere lamprey Geotria australis (Figure 1A,B) possesses a predominantly cone-based visual system designed for photopic (bright light) vision 2. and 3.. Previous work identified multiple cone types suggesting that the potential for colour vision may have been present in the earliest members of this group. In order to trace the molecular evolution and origins of vertebrate colour vision, we have examined the genetic complement of visual pigment opsins in G. australis.

Details

Title: Ancient colour vision: Multiple opsin genes in the ancestral vertebrates
Authors/Creators: S.P. Collin (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
M.A. Knight (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
W.L. Davies (Author/Creator)
I.C. Potter (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
D.M. Hunt (Author/Creator) - Institute of Ophthalmology
A.E.O. Trezise (Author/Creator) - The University of Queensland
Publication Details: Current Biology, Vol.13(22), pp.R864-R865
Publisher: Elsevier
Identifiers: 991005542533207891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.36 Ophthalmology; 1.36.212 Genetic Retinopathies
Web Of Science research areas: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Biology; Cell Biology
ESI research areas: Biology & Biochemistry