Molecular evolution of vertebrate visual pigments.

摘要: Dramatic improvement of our understanding the genetic basis vision was brought by molecular characterization bovine rhodopsin gene and human color opsin genes (Nathans Hogness, 1983; Nathans et al., 1984, 1986a,b). The availability cDNA clones from these studies has facilitated isolation retinal nonretinal a large variety species. Today, number genomic isolated different vertebrate species exceeds 100 is increasing rapidly. sequences reveal importance origin differentiation various opsins visual pigments. To understand spectral tuning pigments, it essential to establish correlations between series pigments their lambda(max) values. potentially important amino acid changes identified in this way have be tested whether they are fact responsible for lambda(max)-shifts using site-directed mutagenesis cultured cells. A major goal evolutionary genetics mechanisms involved functional adaptations organisms environments, including regulation absorption. Therefore, both analyses science an common goal.