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Boycott TJ, Sherrard MG, Gall MD, Ronald KL. Deer management influences perception of avian plumage in temperate deciduous forests. Vision Res 2023; 213:108312. [PMID: 37703599 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2023.108312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Many animals use visual signals to communicate; birds use colorful plumage to attract mates and repel intruders. Visual signal conspicuousness is influenced by the lighting environment, which can be altered by human-induced changes. For example, deer-management efforts can affect vegetation structure and light availability. Whether these changes alter animal communication is still unknown. We investigated the effect of deer management on forest light and the contrast of understory birds against the forest background. We modeled visual perception using: (1) an ultraviolet-sensitive (UVS) avian model and plumage parameters representative of red, yellow, and blue birds (2) species-specific turkey visual and plumage parameters, and (3) individual-specific brown-headed cowbird visual and plumage parameters. Deer management led to greater light irradiance and lowered forest background reflectance. Management increased chromatic contrasts in the UVS model, primarily in deciduous forests and low understory, and across all habitat types in turkey and cowbird models. Deer management did not affect achromatic contrasts in the UVS model, but was associated with lower contrast in mixed forests for turkeys and across habitats for cowbirds. Together, this suggests that management of deer browsing is likely to impact visual signaling for a wide range of avian species. However, we also suspect that species- and individual-specific parameters increased the resolution of models, warranting consideration in future studies. Further work should determine if differences in visual perception translate to biologically relevant consequences. Our results suggest that, at least for some species, deer browsing and anthropogenic change may impose an evolutionary driver on visual communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Boycott
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA; New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, 226 Mann Drive, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Morgan G Sherrard
- Department of Biology, Hope College, 35 East 12th Street, Holland, MI 49423, USA; University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Detroit, MI 48208-2576, USA
| | - Megan D Gall
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA; Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA
| | - Kelly L Ronald
- Department of Biology, Hope College, 35 East 12th Street, Holland, MI 49423, USA.
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2
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Hill GE, Weaver RJ, Powers MJ. Carotenoid ornaments and the spandrels of physiology: a critique of theory to explain condition dependency. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:2320-2332. [PMID: 37563787 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Even as numerous studies have documented that the red and yellow coloration resulting from the deposition of carotenoids serves as an honest signal of condition, the evolution of condition dependency is contentious. The resource trade-off hypothesis proposes that condition-dependent honest signalling relies on a trade-off of resources between ornamental display and body maintenance. By this model, condition dependency can evolve through selection for a re-allocation of resources to promote ornament expression. By contrast, the index hypothesis proposes that selection focuses mate choice on carotenoid coloration that is inherently condition dependent because production of such coloration is inexorably tied to vital cellular processes. These hypotheses for the origins of condition dependency make strongly contrasting and testable predictions about ornamental traits. To assess these two models, we review the mechanisms of production of carotenoids, patterns of condition dependency involving different classes of carotenoids, and patterns of behavioural responses to carotenoid coloration. We review evidence that traits can be condition dependent without the influence of sexual selection and that novel traits can show condition-dependent expression as soon as they appear in a population, without the possibility of sexual selection. We conclude by highlighting new opportunities for studying condition-dependent signalling made possible by genetic manipulation and expression of ornamental traits in synthetic biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, 120 W. Samford Avenue, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Ryan J Weaver
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 2200 Osborne Drive, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Matthew J Powers
- Department of Integrative Biology, 4575 SW Research Way, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
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3
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Nishida Y, Berg PC, Shakersain B, Hecht K, Takikawa A, Tao R, Kakuta Y, Uragami C, Hashimoto H, Misawa N, Maoka T. Astaxanthin: Past, Present, and Future. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:514. [PMID: 37888449 PMCID: PMC10608541 DOI: 10.3390/md21100514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Astaxanthin (AX), a lipid-soluble pigment belonging to the xanthophyll carotenoids family, has recently garnered significant attention due to its unique physical properties, biochemical attributes, and physiological effects. Originally recognized primarily for its role in imparting the characteristic red-pink color to various organisms, AX is currently experiencing a surge in interest and research. The growing body of literature in this field predominantly focuses on AXs distinctive bioactivities and properties. However, the potential of algae-derived AX as a solution to various global environmental and societal challenges that threaten life on our planet has not received extensive attention. Furthermore, the historical context and the role of AX in nature, as well as its significance in diverse cultures and traditional health practices, have not been comprehensively explored in previous works. This review article embarks on a comprehensive journey through the history leading up to the present, offering insights into the discovery of AX, its chemical and physical attributes, distribution in organisms, and biosynthesis. Additionally, it delves into the intricate realm of health benefits, biofunctional characteristics, and the current market status of AX. By encompassing these multifaceted aspects, this review aims to provide readers with a more profound understanding and a robust foundation for future scientific endeavors directed at addressing societal needs for sustainable nutritional and medicinal solutions. An updated summary of AXs health benefits, its present market status, and potential future applications are also included for a well-rounded perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Nishida
- Fuji Chemical Industries, Co., Ltd., 55 Yokohoonji, Kamiich-machi, Nakaniikawa-gun, Toyama 930-0405, Japan
| | | | - Behnaz Shakersain
- AstaReal AB, Signum, Forumvägen 14, Level 16, 131 53 Nacka, Sweden; (P.C.B.); (B.S.)
| | - Karen Hecht
- AstaReal, Inc., 3 Terri Lane, Unit 12, Burlington, NJ 08016, USA;
| | - Akiko Takikawa
- First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan;
| | - Ruohan Tao
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Yumeka Kakuta
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Chiasa Uragami
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Hideki Hashimoto
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1 Gakuen-Uegahara, Sanda 669-1330, Japan; (R.T.); (Y.K.); (C.U.); (H.H.)
| | - Norihiko Misawa
- Research Institute for Bioresources and Biotechnology, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Suematsu, Nonoichi-shi 921-8836, Japan;
| | - Takashi Maoka
- Research Institute for Production Development, 15 Shimogamo-morimoto-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0805, Japan
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4
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Toomey MB, Marques CI, Araújo PM, Huang D, Zhong S, Liu Y, Schreiner GD, Myers CA, Pereira P, Afonso S, Andrade P, Gazda MA, Lopes RJ, Viegas I, Koch RE, Haynes ME, Smith DJ, Ogawa Y, Murphy D, Kopec RE, Parichy DM, Carneiro M, Corbo JC. A mechanism for red coloration in vertebrates. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4201-4214.e12. [PMID: 36049480 PMCID: PMC9588406 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Red coloration is a salient feature of the natural world. Many vertebrates produce red color by converting dietary yellow carotenoids into red ketocarotenoids via an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that two enzymes, cytochrome P450 2J19 (CYP2J19) and 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1-like (BDH1L), are sufficient to catalyze this conversion. In birds, both enzymes are expressed at the sites of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis (feather follicles and red cone photoreceptors), and genetic evidence implicates these enzymes in yellow/red color variation in feathers. In fish, the homologs of CYP2J19 and BDH1L are required for ketocarotenoid production, and we show that these enzymes are sufficient to produce ketocarotenoids in cell culture and when ectopically expressed in fish skin. Finally, we demonstrate that the red-cone-enriched tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39B (TTC39B) enhances ketocarotenoid production when co-expressed with CYP2J19 and BDH1L. The discovery of this mechanism of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis has major implications for understanding the evolution of color diversity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA.
| | - Cristiana I Marques
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro M Araújo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Delai Huang
- Department of Biology and Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Siqiong Zhong
- Program in Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gretchen D Schreiner
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Connie A Myers
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Paulo Pereira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Pedro Andrade
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Małgorzata A Gazda
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal; MHNC-UP, Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ivan Viegas
- University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rebecca E Koch
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Maureen E Haynes
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Dustin J Smith
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Yohey Ogawa
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Murphy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel E Kopec
- Program in Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - David M Parichy
- Department of Biology and Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
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5
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Rotov AY, Goriachenkov AA, Cherbunin RV, Firsov ML, Chernetsov N, Astakhova LA. Magnetoreceptory Function of European Robin Retina: Electrophysiological and Morphological Non-Homogeneity. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193056. [PMID: 36231018 PMCID: PMC9564291 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The avian magnetic compass allows orientation during migration and is shown to function properly under short-wavelength but not long-wavelength visible light. Therefore, the magnetoreceptive system is assumed to be light- and wavelength-dependent and localized in the retina of the eye. Putative candidates for the role of primary magnetosensory molecules are the cryptochromes that are known to be expressed in the avian retina and must be able to interact with phototransduction proteins. Previously, we reported that in migratory birds change in magnetic field direction induces significant effects on electroretinogram amplitude in response to blue flashes, and such an effect was observed only in the nasal quadrant of the retina. Here, we report new electroretinographic, microscopic and microspectrophotometric data on European robins, confirming the magnetosensitivity of the retinal nasal quadrant after applying the background illumination. We hypothesized that magnetoreceptive distinction of this region may be related to its morphology and analyzed the retinal distribution and optical properties of oil droplets, the filtering structures within cones. We found that the nasal quadrant contains double cones with the most intensely colorized oil droplets compared to the rest of the retina, which may be related to its magnetosensory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Yu. Rotov
- Laboratory of Evolution of the Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Arsenii A. Goriachenkov
- Laboratory of Evolution of the Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Roman V. Cherbunin
- Laboratory of Evolution of the Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Spin Optics Laboratory, Physics Faculty, St. Petersburg State University, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Michael L. Firsov
- Laboratory of Evolution of the Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Nikita Chernetsov
- Laboratory of Evolution of the Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Ornithology Lab, Zoological Institute RAS, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Luba A. Astakhova
- Laboratory of Evolution of the Sense Organs, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS, 194223 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence:
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6
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Abstract
Carotenoids constitute an essential dietary component of animals and other non-carotenogenic species which use these pigments in both their modified and unmodified forms. Animals utilize uncleaved carotenoids to mitigate light damage and oxidative stress and to signal fitness and health. Carotenoids also serve as precursors of apocarotenoids including retinol, and its retinoid metabolites, which carry out essential functions in animals by forming the visual chromophore 11-cis-retinaldehyde. Retinoids, such as all-trans-retinoic acid, can also act as ligands of nuclear hormone receptors. The fact that enzymes and biochemical pathways responsible for the metabolism of carotenoids in animals bear resemblance to the ones in plants and other carotenogenic species suggests an evolutionary relationship. We will explore some of the modes of transmission of carotenoid genes from carotenogenic species to metazoans. This apparent relationship has been successfully exploited in the past to identify and characterize new carotenoid and retinoid modifying enzymes. We will review approaches used to identify putative animal carotenoid enzymes, and we will describe methods used to functionally validate and analyze the biochemistry of carotenoid modifying enzymes encoded by animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Moise
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biology and Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
| | - Sepalika Bandara
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Johannes von Lintig
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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7
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Victory N, Segovia Y, García M. Cone distribution and visual resolution of the yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis (Naumann, 1840). Anat Histol Embryol 2021; 51:197-214. [PMID: 34939688 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The morphological characteristics of the yellow-legged gull's photoreceptors and cone distribution were studied using light and electron microscopy. In wholemount fresh retinas, five different coloured oil droplets located in the cone inner segments could be seen and characterized by colour, diameter and stratification. The photoreceptors were classified by comparing the fresh and fixed vertical sections under a light and electron microscope. Rods were easily distinguished from cones based on the outer segment morphology and the absence of oil droplets in their inner segments. Four types of single cones were associated with red, yellow, colourless and transparent oil droplets. Unequal double cones comprised a long principal member with a green oil droplet and an accessory short member containing a green microdroplet which was highly electron-dense under electron microscopy. The different types of oil droplets were counted from microphotographs of fresh retinal samples in 20 regions. The density, percentage and diameter of the oil droplets were determined. The results showed that central regions had the highest oil droplet density which decreased towards the retinal periphery in all quadrants. Moreover, the oil droplet density was higher in the dorsotemporal quadrant than in other retinal regions. The average density of the red oil droplets was highest in the central areas, whereas colourless oil droplets had the highest density throughout the retina. In contrast, transparent oil droplets had the lowest density across all the regions of the retina. Finally, the retinal resolution was 52.61 cycles/degree. It was calculated using the posterior nodal distance and the oil droplet diameter. The work concludes by discussing the significance of the relative proportion of different cone types across the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Victory
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Yolanda Segovia
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Magdalena García
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
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8
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Huo SM, Zhang YY, Song ZR, Xiong XH, Hong XY. The potential pigmentation-related genes in spider mites revealed by comparative transcriptomes of the red form of Tetranychus urticae. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:580-593. [PMID: 34309936 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Colouration in spider mites is due to the presence of carotenoids with diverse colours, including yellows, oranges and reds. Tetranychus urticae has two main colour forms, red and green. Although a ketolase has been implicated in determining the colour, the underlying genetic basis of body colour divergence between the two forms has remained unclear. Based on a combination of comparative transcriptomes and RNA interference, we found that a gene encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme of the CYP4 clan (CYP389B1) had remarkably high expression in adult females of the red T. urticae, as well as in hybrids obtained by crossing the red and green forms. Down-regulation of this gene by RNA interference resulted in decreased accumulation of red pigment. Up-regulation of the expressions of a scavenger receptor gene (SCARB1) and a mitochondrial glycine transporter (SLC25A38) also strongly contributed to red colour development in adult females. Suppressing the mRNA levels of these genes also resulted in reduced accumulation of red pigment in the three other spider mites with red body colour. Our results provide evidence that the body colour divergence between the two forms is caused by different expressions of pigmentation-related genes, and point to a possible role of a novel cytochrome P450 gene (CYP389B1) in regulating red-orange body colour. These findings expand the number of candidate cytochrome P450 genes involved in endogenous pigmentation and will help to understand their roles in determining colour patterns in mites and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-M Huo
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Y-Y Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Z-R Song
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - X-H Xiong
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - X-Y Hong
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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9
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Toomey MB, Ronald KL. Avian color expression and perception: is there a carotenoid link? J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269205. [PMID: 34142139 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.203844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids color many of the red, orange and yellow ornaments of birds and also shape avian vision. The carotenoid-pigmented oil droplets in cone photoreceptors filter incoming light and are predicted to aid in color discrimination. Carotenoid use in both avian coloration and color vision raises an intriguing question: is the evolution of visual signals and signal perception linked through these pigments? Here, we explore the genetic, physiological and functional connections between these traits. Carotenoid color and droplet pigmentation share common mechanisms of metabolic conversion and are both affected by diet and immune system challenges. Yet, the time scale and magnitude of these effects differ greatly between plumage and the visual system. Recent observations suggest a link between retinal carotenoid levels and color discrimination performance, but the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. Therefore, we performed a modeling exercise to ask whether and how changes in droplet carotenoid content could alter the perception of carotenoid-based plumage. This exercise revealed that changing oil droplet carotenoid concentration does not substantially affect the discrimination of carotenoid-based colors, but might change how reliably a receiver can predict the carotenoid content of an ornament. These findings suggest that, if present, a carotenoid link between signal and perception is subtle. Deconstructing this relationship will require a deeper understanding of avian visual perception and the mechanisms of color production. We highlight several areas where we see opportunities to gain new insights, including comparative genomic studies of shared mechanisms of carotenoid processing and alternative approaches to investigating color vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, 800 S Tucker Dr., Tulsa, OK 74104, USA
| | - Kelly L Ronald
- Department of Biology, Hope College, 35 East 12th Street, Holland, MI 49422, USA
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10
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Factors Differentiating the Antioxidant Activity of Macular Xanthophylls in the Human Eye Retina. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10040601. [PMID: 33919673 PMCID: PMC8070478 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10040601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Macular xanthophylls, which are absorbed from the human diet, accumulate in high concentrations in the human retina, where they efficiently protect against oxidative stress that may lead to retinal damage. In addition, macular xanthophylls are uniquely spatially distributed in the retina. The zeaxanthin concentration (including the lutein metabolite meso-zeaxanthin) is ~9-fold greater than lutein concentration in the central fovea. These numbers do not correlate at all with the dietary intake of xanthophylls, for which there is a dietary zeaxanthin-to-lutein molar ratio of 1:12 to 1:5. The unique spatial distributions of macular xanthophylls—lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin—in the retina, which developed during evolution, maximize the protection of the retina provided by these xanthophylls. We will correlate the differences in the spatial distributions of macular xanthophylls with their different antioxidant activities in the retina. Can the major protective function of macular xanthophylls in the retina, namely antioxidant actions, explain their evolutionarily determined, unique spatial distributions? In this review, we will address this question.
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11
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Gazda MA, Toomey MB, Araújo PM, Lopes RJ, Afonso S, Myers CA, Serres K, Kiser PD, Hill GE, Corbo JC, Carneiro M. Genetic Basis of De Novo Appearance of Carotenoid Ornamentation in Bare Parts of Canaries. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:1317-1328. [PMID: 31930402 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Unlike wild and domestic canaries (Serinus canaria), or any of the three dozen species of finches in genus Serinus, the domestic urucum breed of canaries exhibits bright red bills and legs. This novel trait offers a unique opportunity to understand the mechanisms of bare-part coloration in birds. To identify the mutation producing the colorful phenotype, we resequenced the genome of urucum canaries and performed a range of analyses to search for genotype-to-phenotype associations across the genome. We identified a nonsynonymous mutation in the gene BCO2 (beta-carotene oxygenase 2, also known as BCDO2), an enzyme involved in the cleavage and breakdown of full-length carotenoids into short apocarotenoids. Protein structural models and in vitro functional assays indicate that the urucum mutation abrogates the carotenoid-cleavage activity of BCO2. Consistent with the predicted loss of carotenoid-cleavage activity, urucum canaries tended to have increased levels of full-length carotenoid pigments in bill tissue and reduced levels of carotenoid-cleavage products (apocarotenoids) in retinal tissue compared with other breeds of canaries. We hypothesize that carotenoid-based bare-part coloration might be readily gained, modified, or lost through simple switches in the enzymatic activity or regulation of BCO2 and this gene may be an important mediator in the evolution of bare-part coloration among bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Anna Gazda
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
| | - Pedro M Araújo
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Sandra Afonso
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Connie A Myers
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Kyla Serres
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Philip D Kiser
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, School of Medicine, Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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12
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Seifert M, Baden T, Osorio D. The retinal basis of vision in chicken. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 106:106-115. [PMID: 32295724 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The Avian retina is far less known than that of mammals such as mouse and macaque, and detailed study is overdue. The chicken (Gallus gallus) has potential as a model, in part because research can build on developmental studies of the eye and nervous system. One can expect differences between bird and mammal retinas simply because whereas most mammals have three types of visual photoreceptor birds normally have six. Spectral pathways and colour vision are of particular interest, because filtering by oil droplets narrows cone spectral sensitivities and birds are probably tetrachromatic. The number of receptor inputs is reflected in the retinal circuitry. The chicken probably has four types of horizontal cell, there are at least 11 types of bipolar cell, often with bi- or tri-stratified axon terminals, and there is a high density of ganglion cells, which make complex connections in the inner plexiform layer. In addition, there is likely to be retinal specialisation, for example chicken photoreceptors and ganglion cells have separate peaks of cell density in the central and dorsal retina, which probably serve different types of behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Seifert
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, UK.
| | - T Baden
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, UK; Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tuebingen, Germany
| | - D Osorio
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, UK
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13
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Visual adaptations of diurnal and nocturnal raptors. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 106:116-126. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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14
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Hauzman E. Adaptations and evolutionary trajectories of the snake rod and cone photoreceptors. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2020; 106:86-93. [PMID: 32359892 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Most vertebrates have duplex retinas, with two classes of photoreceptors, rods and cones. In the group of Snakes, however, distinct patterns of retinal morphology are associated with transitions between diurnal-nocturnal habits and reflect important adaptations of their visual system. Pure-cone, pure-rod and duplex retinas were described in different species, and this variability led Gordon Walls (1934) to formulate the transmutation theory, which suggests that rods and cones are not fixed entities, but can assume transitional states. Three opsin genes are expressed in retinas of most snake species, lws, rh1, and sws1, and recent studies have shown that the rhodopsin gene, rh1, is expressed in pure-cone retinas of diurnal snakes. This expression raised many questions about the nature of transmutation and functional aspects of the rhodopsin in a cone-like photoreceptor. Extreme differences in the retinal architecture of diurnal and nocturnal snakes also highlight the complexity of adaptations of their visual structures, which might have contributed to the adaptive radiation of this group and will be discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Hauzman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Psychology Institute, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 1721, Bloco A - D9. Butantã, São Paulo, CEP. 05508-030, Brazil.
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15
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Osorio D. The evolutionary ecology of bird and reptile photoreceptor spectral sensitivities. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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16
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Abstract
The jawless fish that were ancestral to all living vertebrates had four spectral cone types that were probably served by chromatic-opponent retinal circuits. Subsequent evolution of photoreceptor spectral sensitivities is documented for many vertebrate lineages, giving insight into the ecological adaptation of color vision. Beyond the photoreceptors, retinal color processing is best understood in mammals, especially the blueON system, which opposes short- against long-wavelength receptor responses. For other vertebrates that often have three or four types of cone pigment, new findings from zebrafish are extending older work on teleost fish and reptiles to reveal rich color circuitry. Here, horizontal cells establish diverse and complex spectral responses even in photoreceptor outputs. Cone-selective connections to bipolar cells then set up color-opponent synaptic layers in the inner retina, which lead to a large variety of color-opponent channels for transmission to the brain via retinal ganglion cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Baden
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, BN1 9QG Brighton, United Kingdom; ,
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - D Osorio
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, BN1 9QG Brighton, United Kingdom; ,
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17
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Wybouw N, Kurlovs AH, Greenhalgh R, Bryon A, Kosterlitz O, Manabe Y, Osakabe M, Vontas J, Clark RM, Van Leeuwen T. Convergent evolution of cytochrome P450s underlies independent origins of keto-carotenoid pigmentation in animals. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191039. [PMID: 31311468 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Keto-carotenoids contribute to many important traits in animals, including vision and coloration. In a great number of animal species, keto-carotenoids are endogenously produced from carotenoids by carotenoid ketolases. Despite the ubiquity and functional importance of keto-carotenoids in animals, the underlying genetic architectures of their production have remained enigmatic. The body and eye colorations of spider mites (Arthropoda: Chelicerata) are determined by β-carotene and keto-carotenoid derivatives. Here, we focus on a carotenoid pigment mutant of the spider mite Tetranychus kanzawai that, as shown by chromatography, lost the ability to produce keto-carotenoids. We employed bulked segregant analysis and linked the causal locus to a single narrow genomic interval. The causal mutation was fine-mapped to a minimal candidate region that held only one complete gene, the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP384A1, of the CYP3 clan. Using a number of genomic approaches, we revealed that an inactivating deletion in the fourth exon of CYP384A1 caused the aberrant pigmentation. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CYP384A1 is orthologous across mite species of the ancient Trombidiformes order where carotenoids typify eye and body coloration, suggesting a deeply conserved function of CYP384A1 as a carotenoid ketolase. Previously, CYP2J19, a cytochrome P450 of the CYP2 clan, has been identified as a carotenoid ketolase in birds and turtles. Our study shows that selection for endogenous production of keto-carotenoids led to convergent evolution, whereby cytochrome P450s were independently co-opted in vertebrate and invertebrate animal lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Wybouw
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Andre H Kurlovs
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Robert Greenhalgh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Astrid Bryon
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Olivia Kosterlitz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Yuki Manabe
- Laboratory of Technology of Marine Bioproducts, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Masahiro Osakabe
- Laboratory of Ecological Information, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 73100 Heraklion, Greece.,Department of Crop Science, Pesticide Science Lab, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Richard M Clark
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.,Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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18
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Brejcha J, Bataller JV, Bosáková Z, Geryk J, Havlíková M, Kleisner K, Maršík P, Font E. Body coloration and mechanisms of colour production in Archelosauria: the case of deirocheline turtles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190319. [PMID: 31417734 PMCID: PMC6689573 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Animal body coloration is a complex trait resulting from the interplay of multiple mechanisms. While many studies address the functions of animal coloration, the mechanisms of colour production still remain unknown in most taxa. Here we compare reflectance spectra, cellular, ultra- and nano-structure of colour-producing elements, and pigment types in two freshwater turtles with contrasting courtship behaviour, Trachemys scripta and Pseudemys concinna. The two species differ in the distribution of pigment cell-types and in pigment diversity. We found xanthophores, melanocytes, abundant iridophores and dermal collagen fibres in stripes of both species. The yellow chin and forelimb stripes of both P. concinna and T. scripta contain xanthophores and iridophores, but the post-orbital regions of the two species differ in cell-type distribution. The yellow post-orbital region of P. concinna contains both xanthophores and iridophores, while T. scripta has only xanthophores in the yellow-red postorbital/zygomatic regions. Moreover, in both species, the xanthophores colouring the yellow-red skin contain carotenoids, pterins and riboflavin, but T. scripta has a higher diversity of pigments than P. concinna. Trachemys s. elegans is sexually dichromatic. Differences in the distribution of pigment cell types across body regions in the two species may be related to visual signalling but do not match predictions based on courtship position. Our results demonstrate that archelosaurs share some colour production mechanisms with amphibians and lepidosaurs (i.e. vertical layering/stacking of different pigment cell types and interplay of carotenoids and pterins), but also employ novel mechanisms (i.e. nano-organization of dermal collagen) shared with mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jindřich Brejcha
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, National Museum, Václavské nám. 68, Prague 1, 110 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, Prague 8, 18223, Czech Republic
| | - José Vicente Bataller
- Centro de Conservación de Especies Dulceacuícolas de la Comunidad Valenciana. VAERSA-Generalitat Valenciana, El Palmar, València, 46012, Spain
| | - Zuzana Bosáková
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, Prague 2, 128 43, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Geryk
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, V Úvalu 84, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Havlíková
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, Prague 2, 128 43, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Maršík
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Enrique Font
- Ethology Lab, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/ Catedrátic José Beltrán Martinez 2, Paterna, València, 46980, Spain
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19
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Arteni AA, LaFountain AM, Alexandre MTA, Fradot M, Mendes-Pinto MM, Sahel JA, Picaud S, Frank HA, Robert B, Pascal AA. Carotenoid composition and conformation in retinal oil droplets of the domestic chicken. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217418. [PMID: 31150434 PMCID: PMC6544226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoid-containing oil droplets in the avian retina act as cut-off filters to enhance colour discrimination. We report a confocal resonance Raman investigation of the oil droplets of the domestic chicken, Gallus gallus domesticus. We show that all carotenoids present are in a constrained conformation, implying a locus in specific lipid binding sites. In addition, we provide proof of a recent conclusion that all carotenoid-containing droplets contain a mixture of all carotenoids present, rather than only a subset of them-a conclusion that diverges from the previously-held view. Our results have implications for the mechanism(s) giving rise to these carotenoid mixtures in the differently-coloured droplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Andreea Arteni
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Amy M. LaFountain
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Maxime T. A. Alexandre
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Mathias Fradot
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Maria M. Mendes-Pinto
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - José-Alain Sahel
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Serge Picaud
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Harry A. Frank
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Bruno Robert
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Andrew A. Pascal
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- * E-mail:
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20
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Owls lack UV-sensitive cone opsin and red oil droplets, but see UV light at night: Retinal transcriptomes and ocular media transmittance. Vision Res 2019; 158:109-119. [PMID: 30825468 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Most diurnal birds have cone-dominated retinae and tetrachromatic colour vision based on ultra-violet/violet-sensitive UV/V cones expressing short wavelength-sensitive opsin 1 (SWS1), S cones expressing short wavelength-sensitive opsin 2 (SWS2), M cones expressing medium wavelength-sensitive opsin (RH2) and L cones expressing long wavelength-sensitive opsin (LWS). Double cones (D) express LWS but do not contribute to colour vision. Each cone is equipped with an oil droplet, transparent in UV/V cones, but pigmented by carotenoids: galloxanthin in S, zeaxanthin in M, astaxanthin in L and a mixture in D cones. Owls (Strigiformes) are crepuscular or nocturnal birds with rod-dominated retinae and optical adaptations for high sensitivity. For eight species, the absence of functional SWS1 opsin has recently been documented, functional RH2 opsin was absent in three of these. Here we confirm the absence of SWS1 transcripts for the Long-eared owl (Asio otus) and demonstrate its absence for the Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), Tawny owl (Strix aluco) and Boreal owl (Aegolius funereus). All four species had transcripts of RH2, albeit with low expression. All four species express all enzymes needed to produce galloxanthin, but lack CYP2J19 expression required to produce astaxanthin from dietary precursors. We also present ocular media transmittance of the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) and Short-eared owl and predict spectral sensitivities of all photoreceptors of the Tawny owl. We conclude that owls, despite lacking UV/V cones, can detect UV light. This increases the sensitivity of their rod vision allowing them, for instance, to see UV-reflecting feathers as brighter signals at night.
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21
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Production, separation, and characterization of apo-luteinoids by LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2018; 1102-1103:45-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2018.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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22
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Meadway A, Sincich LC. Light propagation and capture in cone photoreceptors. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 9:5543-5565. [PMID: 30460146 PMCID: PMC6238909 DOI: 10.1364/boe.9.005543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The light capturing properties of cone photoreceptors create the elementary signals that form the basis of vision. Variation in the amplitude of individual cone signals has been found physiologically as part of normal retinal circuit processing. Less well characterized is how cone signals may vary due to purely optical properties. We present a model of light propagation in cones using a finite difference beam propagation method to simulate how light from a small stimulus travels through a cone plus its immediate neighbors. The model calculates the amount of light absorbed in the cone outer segments, from which an estimate of the photoresponse can be made. We apply the method to adaptive optics microstimulation to find the optimum optical conditions that will confine the most light into a single cone in the human retina. We found that light capture is especially sensitive to beam size at the pupil and to the cone diameter itself, with the two factors having a complex relationship leading to sizable variation in light capture. Model predictions were validated with two types of psychophysical data. The model can be employed with arbitrary stimuli and photoreceptor parameters, making it a useful tool for studying photoreceptor function in normal or diseased conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Meadway
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Lawrence C. Sincich
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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23
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Morrison ES, Badyaev AV. Structure versus time in the evolutionary diversification of avian carotenoid metabolic networks. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:764-772. [PMID: 29485222 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Historical associations of genes and proteins are thought to delineate pathways available to subsequent evolution; however, the effects of past functional involvements on contemporary evolution are rarely quantified. Here, we examined the extent to which the structure of a carotenoid enzymatic network persists in avian evolution. Specifically, we tested whether the evolution of carotenoid networks was most concordant with phylogenetically structured expansion from core reactions of common ancestors or with subsampling of biochemical pathway modules from an ancestral network. We compared structural and historical associations in 467 carotenoid networks of extant and ancestral species and uncovered the overwhelming effect of pre-existing metabolic network structure on carotenoid diversification over the last 50 million years of avian evolution. Over evolutionary time, birds repeatedly subsampled and recombined conserved biochemical modules, which likely maintained the overall structure of the carotenoid metabolic network during avian evolution. These findings explain the recurrent convergence of evolutionary distant species in carotenoid metabolism and weak phylogenetic signal in avian carotenoid evolution. Remarkable retention of an ancient metabolic structure throughout extensive and prolonged ecological diversification in avian carotenoid metabolism illustrates a fundamental requirement of organismal evolution - historical continuity of a deterministic network that links past and present functional associations of its components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin S Morrison
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Alexander V Badyaev
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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24
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Lind O, Henze MJ, Kelber A, Osorio D. Coevolution of coloration and colour vision? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0338. [PMID: 28533455 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary relationship between signals and animal senses has broad significance, with potential consequences for speciation, and for the efficacy and honesty of biological communication. Here we outline current understanding of the diversity of colour vision in two contrasting groups: the phylogenetically conservative birds, and the more variable butterflies. Evidence for coevolution of colour signals and vision exists in both groups, but is limited to observations of phenotypic differences between visual systems, which might be correlated with coloration. Here, to illustrate how one might interpret the evolutionary significance of such differences, we used colour vision modelling based on an avian eye to evaluate the effects of variation in three key characters: photoreceptor spectral sensitivity, oil droplet pigmentation and the proportions of different photoreceptor types. The models predict that physiologically realistic changes in any one character will have little effect, but complementary shifts in all three can substantially affect discriminability of three types of natural spectra. These observations about the adaptive landscape of colour vision may help to explain the general conservatism of photoreceptor spectral sensitivities in birds. This approach can be extended to other types of eye and spectra to inform future work on coevolution of coloration and colour vision.This article is part of the themed issue 'Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olle Lind
- Department of Philosophy, Cognitive Science, Helgonavägen 3, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Miriam J Henze
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniel Osorio
- School of Life Sciences, John Maynard Smith Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9QG, UK
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25
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Twyman H, Andersson S, Mundy NI. Evolution of CYP2J19, a gene involved in colour vision and red coloration in birds: positive selection in the face of conservation and pleiotropy. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:22. [PMID: 29439676 PMCID: PMC5812113 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1136-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exaggerated signals, such as brilliant colours, are usually assumed to evolve through antagonistic coevolution between senders and receivers, but the underlying genetic mechanisms are rarely known. Here we explore a recently identified "redness gene", CYP2J19, that is highly interesting in this context since it encodes a carotenoid-modifying enzyme (a C4 ketolase involved in both colour signalling and colour discrimination in the red (long wavelength) spectral region.) RESULTS: A single full-length CYP2J19 was retrieved from 43 species out of 70 avian genomes examined, representing all major avian clades. In addition, CYP2J19 sequences from 13 species of weaverbirds (Ploceidae), seven of which have red C4-ketocarotenoid coloration were analysed. Despite the conserved retinal function and pleiotropy of CYP2J19, analyses indicate that the gene has been positively selected throughout the radiation of birds, including sites within functional domains described in related CYP (cytochrome P450) loci. Analyses of eight further CYP loci across 25 species show that positive selection is common in this gene family in birds. There was no evidence for a change in selection pressure on CYP2J19 following co-option for red coloration in the weaverbirds. CONCLUSIONS The results presented here are consistent with an ancestral conserved function of CYP2J19 in the pigmentation of red retinal oil droplets used for colour vision, and its subsequent co-option for red integumentary coloration. The cause of positive selection on CYP2J19 is unclear, but may be partly related to compensatory mutations related to selection at the adjacent gene CYP2J40.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlu Twyman
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Staffan Andersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Nicholas I. Mundy
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
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26
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Independent pseudogenization of CYP2J19 in penguins, owls and kiwis implicates gene in red carotenoid synthesis. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018; 118:47-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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27
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Toomey MB, Corbo JC. Evolution, Development and Function of Vertebrate Cone Oil Droplets. Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:97. [PMID: 29276475 PMCID: PMC5727011 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To distinguish colors, the nervous system must compare the activity of distinct subtypes of photoreceptors that are maximally sensitive to different portions of the light spectrum. In vertebrates, a variety of adaptations have arisen to refine the spectral sensitivity of cone photoreceptors and improve color vision. In this review article, we focus on one such adaptation, the oil droplet, a unique optical organelle found within the inner segment of cone photoreceptors of a diverse array of vertebrate species, from fish to mammals. These droplets, which consist of neutral lipids and carotenoid pigments, are interposed in the path of light through the photoreceptor and modify the intensity and spectrum of light reaching the photosensitive outer segment. In the course of evolution, the optical function of oil droplets has been fine-tuned through changes in carotenoid content. Species active in dim light reduce or eliminate carotenoids to enhance sensitivity, whereas species active in bright light precisely modulate carotenoid double bond conjugation and concentration among cone subtypes to optimize color discrimination and color constancy. Cone oil droplets have sparked the curiosity of vision scientists for more than a century. Accordingly, we begin by briefly reviewing the history of research on oil droplets. We then discuss what is known about the developmental origins of oil droplets. Next, we describe recent advances in understanding the function of oil droplets based on biochemical and optical analyses. Finally, we survey the occurrence and properties of oil droplets across the diversity of vertebrate species and discuss what these patterns indicate about the evolutionary history and function of this intriguing organelle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Lebhardt F, Desplan C. Retinal perception and ecological significance of color vision in insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:75-83. [PMID: 29208227 PMCID: PMC5726413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Color vision relies on the ability to discriminate different wavelengths and is often improved in insects that inhabit well-lit, spectrally rich environments. Although the Opsin proteins themselves are sensitive to specific wavelength ranges, other factors can alter and further restrict the sensitivity of photoreceptors to allow for finer color discrimination and thereby more informed decisions while interacting with the environment. The ability to discriminate colors differs between insects that exhibit different life styles, between female and male eyes of the same species, and between regions of the same eye, depending on the requirements of intraspecific communication and ecological demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur Lebhardt
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA.
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29
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Insights into visual pigment adaptation and diversity from model ecological and evolutionary systems. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2017; 47:110-120. [PMID: 29102895 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Sensory systems provide valuable insight into the evolution of molecular mechanisms underlying organismal anatomy, physiology, and behaviour. Visual pigments, which mediate the first step in visual transduction, offer a unique window into the relationship between molecular variation and visual performance, and enhance our understanding of how ecology, life history, and physiology may shape genetic variation across a variety of organisms. Here we review recent work investigating vertebrate visual pigments from a number of perspectives. Opsin gene duplication, loss, differential expression, structural variation, and the physiological context in which they operate, have profoundly shaped the visual capabilities of vertebrates adapting to novel environments. We note the importance of conceptual frameworks in investigating visual pigment diversity in vertebrates, highlighting key examples including evolutionary transitions between different photic environments, major shifts in life history evolution and ecology, evolutionary innovations in visual system anatomy and physiology, as well as shifts in visually mediated behaviours and behavioural ecology. We emphasize the utility of studying visual pigment evolution in the context of these different perspectives, and demonstrate how the integrative approaches discussed in this review contribute to a better understanding of the underlying molecular processes mediating adaptation in sensory systems, and the contexts in which they occur.
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High-density lipoprotein receptor SCARB1 is required for carotenoid coloration in birds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:5219-5224. [PMID: 28465440 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700751114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Yellow, orange, and red coloration is a fundamental aspect of avian diversity and serves as an important signal in mate choice and aggressive interactions. This coloration is often produced through the deposition of diet-derived carotenoid pigments, yet the mechanisms of carotenoid uptake and transport are not well-understood. The white recessive breed of the common canary (Serinus canaria), which carries an autosomal recessive mutation that renders its plumage pure white, provides a unique opportunity to investigate mechanisms of carotenoid coloration. We carried out detailed genomic and biochemical analyses comparing the white recessive with yellow and red breeds of canaries. Biochemical analysis revealed that carotenoids are absent or at very low concentrations in feathers and several tissues of white recessive canaries, consistent with a genetic defect in carotenoid uptake. Using a combination of genetic mapping approaches, we show that the white recessive allele is due to a splice donor site mutation in the scavenger receptor B1 (SCARB1; also known as SR-B1) gene. This mutation results in abnormal splicing, with the most abundant transcript lacking exon 4. Through functional assays, we further demonstrate that wild-type SCARB1 promotes cellular uptake of carotenoids but that this function is lost in the predominant mutant isoform in white recessive canaries. Our results indicate that SCARB1 is an essential mediator of the expression of carotenoid-based coloration in birds, and suggest a potential link between visual displays and lipid metabolism.
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31
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Wilby D, Roberts NW. Optical influence of oil droplets on cone photoreceptor sensitivity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:1997-2004. [PMID: 28314749 PMCID: PMC5482973 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.152918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Oil droplets are spherical organelles found in the cone photoreceptors of vertebrates. They are generally assumed to focus incident light into the outer segment, and thereby improve light catch because of the droplets' spherical lens-like shape. However, using full-wave optical simulations of physiologically realistic cone photoreceptors from birds, frogs and turtles, we find that pigmented oil droplets actually drastically reduce the transmission of light into the outer segment integrated across the full visible wavelength range of each species. Only transparent oil droplets improve light catch into the outer segments, and any enhancement is critically dependent on the refractive index, diameter of the oil droplet, and diameter and length of the outer segment. Furthermore, oil droplets are not the only optical elements found in cone inner segments. The ellipsoid, a dense aggregation of mitochondria situated immediately prior to the oil droplet, mitigates the loss of light at the oil droplet surface. We describe a framework for integrating these optical phenomena into simple models of receptor sensitivity, and the relevance of these observations to evolutionary appearance and loss of oil droplets is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wilby
- Ecology of Vision Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Nicholas W Roberts
- Ecology of Vision Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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32
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The Evolution and Genetics of Carotenoid Processing in Animals. Trends Genet 2017; 33:171-182. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Simple and complex retinal dystrophies are associated with profoundly different disease networks. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41835. [PMID: 28139756 PMCID: PMC5282568 DOI: 10.1038/srep41835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinopathies are a group of monogenetic or complex retinal diseases associated with high unmet medical need. Monogenic disorders are caused by rare genetic variation and usually arise early in life. Other diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), develop late in life and are considered to be of complex origin as they develop from a combination of genetic, ageing, environmental and lifestyle risk factors. Here, we contrast the underlying disease networks and pathological mechanisms of monogenic as opposed to complex retinopathies, using AMD as an example of the latter. We show that, surprisingly, genes associated with the different forms of retinopathies in general do not overlap despite their overlapping retinal phenotypes. Further, AMD risk genes participate in multiple networks with interaction partners that link to different ubiquitous pathways affecting general tissue integrity and homeostasis. Thus AMD most likely represents an endophenotype with differing underlying pathogenesis in different subjects. Localising these pathomechanisms and processes within and across different retinal anatomical compartments provides a novel representation of AMD that may be extended to complex disease in general. This approach may generate improved treatment options that target multiple processes with the aim of restoring tissue homeostasis and maintaining vision.
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Abstract
In many birds, bright red plumage in males helps to attract females, a classic example of sexual selection. Studies in zebra finches and canaries have now identified the gene responsible for red coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Barsh
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94035, USA.
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35
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Lind O. Colour vision and background adaptation in a passerine bird, the zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160383. [PMID: 27703702 PMCID: PMC5043321 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Today, there is good knowledge of the physiological basis of bird colour vision and how mathematical models can be used to predict visual thresholds. However, we still know only little about how colour vision changes between different viewing conditions. This limits the understanding of how colour signalling is configured in habitats where the light of the illumination and the background may shift dramatically. I examined how colour discrimination in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is affected by adaptation to different backgrounds. I trained finches in a two-alternative choice task, to choose between red discs displayed on backgrounds with different colours. I found that discrimination thresholds correlate with stimulus contrast to the background. Thresholds are low, and in agreement with model predictions, for a background with a red colour similar to the discs. For the most contrasting green background, thresholds are about five times higher than this. Subsequently, I trained the finches for the detection of single discs on a grey background. Detection thresholds are about 2.5 to 3 times higher than discrimination thresholds. This study demonstrates close similarities in human and bird colour vision, and the quantitative data offer a new possibility to account for shifting viewing conditions in colour vision models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olle Lind
- Author for correspondence: Olle Lind e-mail:
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36
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Lim HH, Pike TW. Dietary carotenoid availability affects avian color discrimination. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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37
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Toomey MB, Lind O, Frederiksen R, Curley RW, Riedl KM, Wilby D, Schwartz SJ, Witt CC, Harrison EH, Roberts NW, Vorobyev M, McGraw KJ, Cornwall MC, Kelber A, Corbo JC. Complementary shifts in photoreceptor spectral tuning unlock the full adaptive potential of ultraviolet vision in birds. eLife 2016; 5:e15675. [PMID: 27402384 PMCID: PMC4947394 DOI: 10.7554/elife.15675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Color vision in birds is mediated by four types of cone photoreceptors whose maximal sensitivities (λmax) are evenly spaced across the light spectrum. In the course of avian evolution, the λmax of the most shortwave-sensitive cone, SWS1, has switched between violet (λmax > 400 nm) and ultraviolet (λmax < 380 nm) multiple times. This shift of the SWS1 opsin is accompanied by a corresponding short-wavelength shift in the spectrally adjacent SWS2 cone. Here, we show that SWS2 cone spectral tuning is mediated by modulating the ratio of two apocarotenoids, galloxanthin and 11’,12’-dihydrogalloxanthin, which act as intracellular spectral filters in this cell type. We propose an enzymatic pathway that mediates the differential production of these apocarotenoids in the avian retina, and we use color vision modeling to demonstrate how correlated evolution of spectral tuning is necessary to achieve even sampling of the light spectrum and thereby maintain near-optimal color discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Olle Lind
- Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rikard Frederiksen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Robert W Curley
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Ken M Riedl
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
- Nutrient and Phytochemical Shared Resource of the OSU-Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, United States
| | - David Wilby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Steven J Schwartz
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Christopher C Witt
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
| | - Earl H Harrison
- Department of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, Columbus, United States
| | - Nicholas W Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Misha Vorobyev
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kevin J McGraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, United States
| | - M Carter Cornwall
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
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Lopes RJ, Johnson JD, Toomey MB, Ferreira MS, Araujo PM, Melo-Ferreira J, Andersson L, Hill GE, Corbo JC, Carneiro M. Genetic Basis for Red Coloration in Birds. Curr Biol 2016; 26:1427-34. [PMID: 27212400 PMCID: PMC5125026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.03.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The yellow and red feather pigmentation of many bird species [1] plays pivotal roles in social signaling and mate choice [2, 3]. To produce red pigments, birds ingest yellow carotenoids and endogenously convert them into red ketocarotenoids via an oxidation reaction catalyzed by a previously unknown ketolase [4-6]. We investigated the genetic basis for red coloration in birds using whole-genome sequencing of red siskins (Spinus cucullata), common canaries (Serinus canaria), and "red factor" canaries, which are the hybrid product of crossing red siskins with common canaries [7]. We identified two genomic regions introgressed from red siskins into red factor canaries that are required for red coloration. One of these regions contains a gene encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme, CYP2J19. Transcriptome analysis demonstrates that CYP2J19 is significantly upregulated in the skin and liver of red factor canaries, strongly implicating CYP2J19 as the ketolase that mediates red coloration in birds. Interestingly, a second introgressed region required for red feathers resides within the epidermal differentiation complex, a cluster of genes involved in development of the integument. Lastly, we present evidence that CYP2J19 is involved in ketocarotenoid formation in the retina. The discovery of the carotenoid ketolase has important implications for understanding sensory function and signaling mediated by carotenoid pigmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - James D Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Matthew B Toomey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Mafalda S Ferreira
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Pedro M Araujo
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José Melo-Ferreira
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s⁄n., 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Leif Andersson
- Science of Life Laboratory Uppsala, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s⁄n., 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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