Ancient colour vision: multiple opsin genes in the ancestral vertebrates

Collin, Shaun P.; Knight, M. A.; Davies, Wayne I. L.; Potter, I. C.; Hunt, David M.; Trezise, A. E. O.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2003.10.044

Cited by 148 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…32 One class of lamprey photoreceptor expresses rhodopsin and exhibits comparable sensitivity to gnathostome rods, 33,34 despite exhibiting cone-like morphology. However, there have not yet been reports to indicate whether the lamprey retina has the ability to operate in a photon-processing mode.…”

Section: Evolution Of Rods and Single-photon Processingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why rods and cones?

Lamb

2015

Eye

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Under twenty-first-century metropolitan conditions, almost all of our vision is mediated by cones and the photopic system, yet cones make up barely 5% of our retinal photoreceptors. This paper looks at reasons why we additionally possess rods and a scotopic system, and asks why rods comprise 95% of our retinal photoreceptors. It considers the ability of rods to reliably signal the arrival of individual photons of light, as well as the ability of the retina to process these singlephoton signals, and it discusses the advantages that accrue. Drawbacks in the arrangement, including the very slow dark adaptation of scotopic vision, are also considered. Finally, the timing of the evolution of cone and rod photoreceptors, the retina, and the camera-style eye is summarised.

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Section: Evolution Of Rods and Single-photon Processingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why rods and cones?

Lamb

2015

Eye

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“…Opsins are the molecules in extant retinas that are responsible for colour vision. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that four of the five classes of vertebrate opsin genes, and hence colour vision, already existed by the Early Cambrian 13,14 . Although colour-producing pigments have been suggested to have been preserved in the external parts of some fossil Mesozoic vertebrates [15][16][17][18][19][20] , providing some evidence that vertebrates were colour adapted in past geological times, hitherto there has been no direct evidence of colour-sensitive receptors in fossil vertebrates.…”

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confidence: 99%

Mineralized rods and cones suggest colour vision in a 300 Myr-old fossil fish

et al. 2014

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“…Key tuning sites for SWS1 opsins have been identified at positions 86, 90, and 93 [9,10,38]. Opsin gene sequencing in lampreys [39], a basal vertebrate, indicates that the ancestral SWS1 pigment in vertebrates was UVS with the presence of Phe86, Ser90, and Thr93. Spectral shifts from UVS to VS have occurred several times in vertebrate SWS1 pigment evolution as a result of substitutions at only two sites: 86 and 90.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visual pigments in a palaeognath bird, the emuDromaius novaehollandiae: implications for spectral sensitivity and the origin of ultraviolet vision

et al. 2016

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A comprehensive description of the spectral characteristics of retinal photoreceptors in palaeognaths is lacking. Moreover, controversy exists with respect to the spectral sensitivity of the short-wavelength-sensitive-1 (SWS1) opsin-based visual pigment expressed in one type of single cone: previous microspectrophotometric (MSP) measurements in the ostrich (Struthio camelus) suggested a violet-sensitive (VS) SWS1 pigment, but all palaeognath SWS1 opsin sequences obtained to date (including the ostrich) imply that the visual pigment is ultraviolet-sensitive (UVS). In this study, MSP was used to measure the spectral properties of visual pigments and oil droplets in the retinal photoreceptors of the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae). Results show that the emu resembles most other bird species in possessing four spectrally distinct single cones, as well as double cones and rods. Four cone and a single rod opsin are expressed, each an orthologue of a previously identified pigment. The SWS1 pigment is clearly UVS (wavelength of maximum absorbance [l max ] ¼ 376 nm), with key tuning sites (Phe86 and Cys90) consistent with other vertebrate UVS SWS1 pigments. Palaeognaths would appear, therefore, to have UVS SWS1 pigments. As they are considered to be basal in avian evolution, this suggests that UVS is the most likely ancestral state for birds. The functional significance of a dedicated UVS cone type in the emu is discussed.

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Ancient colour vision: multiple opsin genes in the ancestral vertebrates

Cited by 148 publications

References 9 publications

Why rods and cones?

Why rods and cones?

Mineralized rods and cones suggest colour vision in a 300 Myr-old fossil fish

Visual pigments in a palaeognath bird, the emuDromaius novaehollandiae: implications for spectral sensitivity and the origin of ultraviolet vision

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