Ancestral photoreceptor diversity as the basis of visual behaviour

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(3), P. 374 - 386

Published: Jan. 22, 2024

Language: Английский

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From water to land: Evolution of photoreceptor circuits for vision in air

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 22(1), P. e3002422 - e3002422

Published: Jan. 22, 2024

When vertebrates first conquered the land, they encountered a visual world that was radically distinct from of their aquatic ancestors. Fish exploit strong wavelength-dependent interactions light with water by differentially feeding signals up to 5 spectral photoreceptor types into behavioural programmes. However, above same rules do not apply, and this called for an update circuit strategies. Early tetrapods soon evolved double cone, still poorly understood pair new photoreceptors brought “ancestral terrestrial” complement 7. Subsequent nonmammalian lineages adapted highly parallelised retinal input strategy diverse ecologies. By contrast, mammals shed most ancestral converged on is exceptionally general. In eutherian including in humans, parallelisation emerges gradually as signal traverses layers retina brain.

Language: Английский

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Diversity and Evolution of Frog Visual Opsins: Spectral Tuning and Adaptation to Distinct Light Environments

Molecular Biology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 41(4)

Published: April 1, 2024

Abstract Visual systems adapt to different light environments through several avenues including optical changes the eye and neurological in how signals are processed interpreted. Spectral sensitivity can evolve via visual pigments housed retinal photoreceptors gene duplication loss, differential coexpression, sequence evolution. Frogs provide an excellent, yet understudied, system for evolution research due their diversity of ecologies (including biphasic aquatic-terrestrial life cycles) that we hypothesize imposed selective pressures leading adaptive system, notably opsins encode protein component responsible first step perception. Here, analyze opsin genes from 93 new transcriptomes plus published data a combined dataset spanning 122 frog species 34 families. We find most express four previously identified frogs but show evidence loss two lineages. Further, present positive selection three shifts associated with differences habitat history, not activity pattern. identify substantial novel variation and, using microspectrophotometry, highly variable spectral sensitivities, expanding known ranges all pigments. Mutations at spectral-tuning sites only partially account this variation, suggesting have used tuning pathways unique among vertebrates. These results support hypothesis photoreceptor physiology across tree response varying environmental ecological factors further our growing understanding vertebrate

Language: Английский

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The vertebrate retina: a window into the evolution of computation in the brain

Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 57, P. 101391 - 101391

Published: April 17, 2024

Animal brains are probably the most complex computational machines on our planet, and like everything in biology, they product of evolution. Advances developmental palaeobiology have been expanding general understanding how nervous systems can change at a molecular structural level. However, these changes translate into altered function — that is, 'computation' remains comparatively sparsely explored. What, concretely, does it mean for neuronal computation when neurons their morphology connectivity, new appear or old ones disappear, transmitter slowly modified over many generations? And evolution use possible knobs dials to constantly tune give rise amazing diversity animal behaviours we see today? Addressing major gaps benefits from choosing suitable model system. Here, I present vertebrate retina as one perhaps unusually promising candidate. The is ancient displays highly conserved core organisational principles across entire lineage, alongside myriad adjustments extant species were shaped by history visual ecology. Moreover, logic readily interrogated experimentally, existing retinal circuits handful serve an anchor exploring circuit adaptations tree life, fish deep aphotic zone oceans eagles soaring high up sky.

Language: Английский

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Droplet Digital PCR Provides Highly Sensitive and Accurate Opsin Gene SNP Detection From Wild Primate Fecal Samples

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Evaluating field‐sourced samples with poor‐quality and low‐quantity DNA, like animal feces, presents significant challenges in the field of molecular biology. Nonetheless, recent innovations PCR technology are promoted as effective tools to overcome many these issues. Here, we evaluate efficiency droplet digital (ddPCR) a method for color vision assessment from feces white‐faced capuchins ( Cebus imitator ) report frequencies alleles genotypes wild population. The sex‐linked polymorphism monkeys Americas is driven by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) opsin genes at up three tuning sites. DNA was extracted fecal collected 211 (53.1% males) Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica: 56 were evaluated ddPCR, 24 both ddPCR Sanger sequencing, 141 sequencing (historical dataset). same opsins derived each monkey using ddPCR; however, latter far more sensitive required fewer reach definitive genotype. Overall, most frequent phenotypes red green/red. distribution was: Females N = 99): green/red (35.4%), red/red (33.3%), green/yellow (14.1%), yellow/red (12.1%), yellow/yellow (4.0%), green/green (1.0%); Males 112): (60.7%), yellow (23.2%), green (16.1%). reliable evaluating noninvasively advantage excellent sensitivity high‐throughput. highly robust inhibitors can be potentially used identify other disease‐related SNP mutations animals.

Language: Английский

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G protein-coupled receptor diversity and evolution in the closest living relatives of Metazoa

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 17, 2025

ABSTRACT G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a pivotal role in the perception of environmental cues across eukaryotic diversity. Although GPCRs have been relatively well characterized metazoans, GPCR signaling is poorly understood their sister group, choanoflagellates, and other close relatives metazoans (CRMs). Here, we examine diversity evolution choanoflagellates by curating catalog 918 GPCRs, 141 proteins, 367 associated regulators from 23 choanoflagellate genomes transcriptomes. We found that repertoire larger more diverse than previously anticipated, with 18 families which 12 are newly identified these organisms. Comparative analyses revealed most conserved and/or lineages. Adhesion TKL/Ks abundant choanoflagellates. Importantly, identification repertoires CRMs non-metazoans refines our understanding metazoan reveals existence unreported at root tree.

Language: Английский

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Evolution of Pineal Nonvisual Opsins in Lizards and the Tuatara and Identification of Lepidopsin: A New Opsin Gene

Genome Biology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(5)

Published: April 7, 2025

Many lizards (Squamata), as well the tuatara (Rhynchocephalia), are distinguished among vertebrate groups for presence of parietal eye, or "third eye", a structure derived from pineal complex containing simplified retina with photoreceptor cells. The eye expresses nonvisual opsins that differ visual opsin repertoire lateral eyes. These pinopsin (OPNP), parapinopsin (OPNPP), and parietopsin (OPNPT), all being evolutionary close to opsins. Here, we searched over 60 lepidosaurian genomes check trajectory these genes in reptiles. Unexpectedly, identified novel gene, which termed "lepidopsin" (OPNLEP), is present solely most lizard but absent other vertebrates. Remnants gene found coelacanth some ray-finned fishes, implying OPNLEP an ancient has been repeatedly lost during evolution. We Iguania, Anguimorpha, Scincoidea, Lacertidae clades, possess harbor genes. Lizards missing like geckos, teiids, fossorial amphisbaenian, lack In summary, our survey reveals (i) persistence previously unknown gene-OPNLEP-in lepidosaurians; (ii) losses specific clades; (iii) correlation between genomic

Language: Английский

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Trichromacy and ultraviolet vision in a nocturnal marsupial

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: March 4, 2025

Color vision among mammals is diverse and complex, with many physiological genetic factors affecting spectral sensitivity, the ability to perceive different wavelengths of light. In this study, color sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), a nocturnal, gliding mammal, was examined through series behavioral tests, analyses, immunohistochemistry. This first study classify capabilities species. Sugar gliders demonstrated trichromacy ultraviolet (UV) latter which further supported by analysis. Visualization retina exhibited rod-dominant that expresses rhodopsin, short-wavelength sensitive 1 opsin, long/medium-wavelength opsin. Diurnal primates were thought be only able visualize trichromatically, however results examination evidence from few other marsupial studies provide support for nocturnal in Metatheria. Intriguingly, basis medium-wavelength sensitivity marsupials has yet discovered. Our are fourth Australian UV-trichromatic, supporting complex UV as benefits survival environments. Given Rh1 at 501 nm explains green behaviorally, question arises how 'dichromatic' species use rods trichromatic mesopic

Language: Английский

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Single cones give rise to multi-cone types in the retinas of fishes

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: March 6, 2025

Retinal cone photoreceptors are specialized neurons that capture light to begin the process of daylight vision. They occur as individual cells (i.e., single cones), or combinations structurally linked cells, such double and triple cones found in retinas non-eutherian vertebrates. These different morphological types form mosaics varying regularity, with patterned nearly perfect lattices many bony fishes (teleosts) some geckos. Although were first reported over 150 years ago, how they whether from coalescing cones, progenitors) remains uncertain. In turn, there is a general vertebrate sequence appearance unknown. Here, developing seven species teleosts examined revealing only arranged hexagonal-like mosaics, present at earliest stages photoreceptor differentiation. Double arose formation multi-cone type (such square mosaic, where each surrounded by four cones) followed dynamics depending on was altricial precocial. Single therefore primordial which all preceded other mosaic patterns. Based observations transitional retinas, we propose model for transformation hexagonal square. The those land vertebrates constitute an example convergent evolution achieve elliptical waveguide structure, likely improved spatio-temporal resolution.

Language: Английский

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Robust Sensory Traits Across Light Habitats: Visual Signals but Not Receptors Vary in Centrarchids Inhabiting Distinct Photic Environments

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 11, 2025

ABSTRACT Visual communication in fish is often shaped by their light environment, which influences both sensory (e.g., eye size, opsin gene expression) and signalling traits body reflectance). This study explores the phenotypic variation visual of six species centrarchids (Centrarchidae) inhabiting two contrasting environments. We measured morphological, molecular to determine across photic conditions. Our findings reveal significant interspecific but no consistent between Centrarchids showed robust systems with green‐sensitive rh2 red‐sensitive lws genes representing main chromatic channels, expression remaining largely unaffected distinct habitats. also found evolution genes, although these changes were not associated environmental However, reflectance displayed species‐specific responses conditions, suggesting that may be more flexible than traits. Overall, our results challenge generality current paradigm ecology, portrays as highly tunable owing highlights potential evolutionary or developmental constraints on centrarchid implications for adaptability various habitats novel threats.

Language: Английский

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