Pisani, Davide and Mohun, Samantha and Harris, Simon and McInerney, James and Wilkinson, Mark (2006) Molecular evidence for dim-light vision in the last common ancestor of the vertebrates. Current Biology, 16 (9). pp. 318-319.

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Abstract

Animal vision is mediated through pigments belonging exclusively to the opsin family. These are members of the G-protein-coupled receptor family that bind retinal [1]. Based on function and phylogenetic relationship, vertebrate visual opsins can be clustered in five groups: Rhod photoreceptors (Rh1), Rh1-like (Rh2), Short Wave Sensitive (SWS1), SWS1-like (SWS2), and Long (LWS) or Medium (MWS) Wave Length Sensitive (LWS/MWS). Rh1 is used for seeing under dim light conditions (scotopic vision), while the others permit full colour (photopic) vision in bright light 2, 3, 4 and 5. Opsins have diversified by a series of gene duplications, and the inferred order of these duplications indicates that photopic vision predated scotopic vision in vertebrates 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Molecular; dim-light ; vision; ancestor; vertebrates;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology
Item ID:	919
Depositing User:	Dr. James McInerney
Date Deposited:	03 Mar 2008
Journal or Publication Title:	Current Biology
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.current-biology.com/content/i...
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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