Retinal transcriptome sequencing sheds light on the adaptation to nocturnal and diurnal lifestyles in raptors
| Autor: | Wei Liang, Haitao Wang, Yonghua Wu, Yu Liu, Elizabeth A. Hadly, Yuyang Hao, Wenjia Teng |
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| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Opsin Multidisciplinary genetic structures biology Ecology Color vision Nocturnal biology.organism_classification Corrigenda Nocturnality 03 medical and health sciences 030104 developmental biology 0302 clinical medicine Crepuscular Strigiformes Evolutionary biology Accipitriformes Adaptation 030217 neurology & neurosurgery |
| Zdroj: | Scientific Reports |
| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |
| Popis: | Owls (Strigiformes) represent a fascinating group of birds that are the ecological night-time counterparts to diurnal raptors (Accipitriformes). The nocturnality of owls, unusual within birds, has favored an exceptional visual system that is highly tuned for hunting at night, yet the molecular basis for this adaptation is lacking. Here, using a comparative evolutionary analysis of 120 vision genes obtained by retinal transcriptome sequencing, we found strong positive selection for low-light vision genes in owls, which contributes to their remarkable nocturnal vision. Not surprisingly, we detected gene loss of the violet/ultraviolet-sensitive opsin (SWS1) in all owls we studied, but two other color vision genes, the red-sensitive LWS and the blue-sensitive SWS2, were found to be under strong positive selection, which may be linked to the spectral tunings of these genes toward maximizing photon absorption in crepuscular conditions. We also detected the only other positively selected genes associated with motion detection in falcons and positively selected genes associated with bright-light vision and eye protection in other diurnal raptors (Accipitriformes). Our results suggest the adaptive evolution of vision genes reflect differentiated activity time and distinct hunting behaviors. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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