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Moreno VM, Schweikert LE. Visual acuity of the summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) captures spatial information relevant to dynamic camouflage at close range. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 39096041 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Dynamic camouflage is the capacity to rapidly change skin color and pattern, often for the purpose of background-matching camouflage. Summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) are demersal fish with an exceptional capacity for dynamic camouflage, but with eyes that face away from the substrate, it is unknown if this behavior is mediated by vision. Past studies have shown that summer flounder skin can match the pattern (i.e., spatial detail) of substrate with a high degree of precision, and for that to be achieved using sight, one testable assumption is that the resolution of vision must match the degree of detail produced in color-change performance. To test this, approaches in morphology and behavior were used to estimate visual acuity, which is the capacity of the visual system to resolve static spatial detail. Using image processing techniques, we then compared the degree of spatial detail from a relevant substrate with what may be detectable by summer flounder spatial vision. The morphological and behavioral estimates of visual acuity were calculated as 3.62 cycles per degree (CPD) ± 0.8 (s.d.) and 4.06 CPD ± 0.4 (s.d.), respectively. These estimates fall within a range of acuities known among other flatfishes and appear adequate for detecting the spatial information needed for background-matching camouflage, though only at close distances. These data provide new knowledge about summer flounder visual acuity and suggest the capacity of flounder vision to support dynamic camouflage of the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M Moreno
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lorian E Schweikert
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
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2
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Zhang Z, Shi C, Han J, Ge X, Li N, Liu Y, Huang J, Chen S. Nonvisual system-mediated body color change in fish reveals nonvisual function of Opsin 3 in skin. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2024; 252:112861. [PMID: 38335869 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2024.112861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Body-color changes in many poikilothermic animals can occur quickly. This color change is generally initiated by visual system, followed by neuromuscular or neuroendocrine control. We have previously showed that the ventral skin color of the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) presents golden yellow in dark environment and quickly changes to silvery white in light environment. In the present study, we found that the light-induced whitening of ventral skin color was independent of visual input. Using light-emitting diode sources of different wavelength with same luminance (150 lx) but different absolute irradiance (0.039-0.333 mW/cm2), we further found that the blue light (λmax = 480 nm, 0.107 mW/cm2) is more effectively in induction of whitening of ventral skin color in compare with other light sources. Interestingly, the result of RT-PCR showed opsin 3 transcripts expressed in xanthophores. Recombinant protein of Opsin 3 with 11-cis retinal formed functional blue-sensitive pigment, with an absorption maximum at 468 nm. The HEK293T cells transfected with Opsin 3 showed a blue light-evoked Ca2+ response. Knock-down of Opsin 3 expression blocked the light-induced xanthosomes aggregation in vitro. Moreover, the light-induced xanthosomes aggregation was mediated via Ca2+-PKC and Ca2+-CaMKII pathways, and relied on microtubules and dynein. Decrease of cAMP levels was a prerequisite for xanthosomes aggregation. Our results provide a unique organism model exhibiting light-induced quick body color change, which was independent of visual input but rather rely on non-visual function of Opsin 3 within xanthophore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Chenchen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Jian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; Key laboratory of fish applied biology and aquaculture in North China, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Na Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710119, China
| | - Jing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Shixi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
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3
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Andrabi M, Upton BA, Lang RA, Vemaraju S. An Expanding Role for Nonvisual Opsins in Extraocular Light Sensing Physiology. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023; 9:245-267. [PMID: 37196422 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-100820-094018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
We live on a planet that is bathed in daily and seasonal sunlight cycles. In this context, terrestrial life forms have evolved mechanisms that directly harness light energy (plants) or decode light information for adaptive advantage. In animals, the main light sensors are a family of G protein-coupled receptors called opsins. Opsin function is best described for the visual sense. However, most animals also use opsins for extraocular light sensing for seasonal behavior and camouflage. While it has long been believed that mammals do not have an extraocular light sensing capacity, recent evidence suggests otherwise. Notably, encephalopsin (OPN3) and neuropsin (OPN5) are both known to mediate extraocular light sensing in mice. Examples of this mediation include photoentrainment of circadian clocks in skin (by OPN5) and acute light-dependent regulation of metabolic pathways (by OPN3 and OPN5). This review summarizes current findings in the expanding field of extraocular photoreception and their relevance for human physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutahar Andrabi
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Brian A Upton
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Richard A Lang
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Shruti Vemaraju
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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4
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Schweikert LE, Bagge LE, Naughton LF, Bolin JR, Wheeler BR, Grace MS, Bracken-Grissom HD, Johnsen S. Dynamic light filtering over dermal opsin as a sensory feedback system in fish color change. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4642. [PMID: 37607908 PMCID: PMC10444757 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40166-4] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic color change has evolved multiple times, with a physiological basis that has been repeatedly linked to dermal photoreception via the study of excised skin preparations. Despite the widespread prevalence of dermal photoreception, both its physiology and its function in regulating color change remain poorly understood. By examining the morphology, physiology, and optics of dermal photoreception in hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus), we describe a cellular mechanism in which chromatophore pigment activity (i.e., dispersion and aggregation) alters the transmitted light striking SWS1 receptors in the skin. When dispersed, chromatophore pigment selectively absorbs the short-wavelength light required to activate the skin's SWS1 opsin, which we localized to a morphologically specialized population of putative dermal photoreceptors. As SWS1 is nested beneath chromatophores and thus subject to light changes from pigment activity, one possible function of dermal photoreception in hogfish is to monitor chromatophores to detect information about color change performance. This framework of sensory feedback provides insight into the significance of dermal photoreception among color-changing animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorian E Schweikert
- Institute of the Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA.
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, 28403, USA.
| | - Laura E Bagge
- Torch Technologies, Shalimar, FL, 32579, USA
- Air Force Research Laboratory/RWTCA, Eglin Air Force Base, FL, 32542, USA
| | - Lydia F Naughton
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, 28403, USA
| | - Jacob R Bolin
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, 28403, USA
| | | | - Michael S Grace
- College of Engineering and Science, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Heather D Bracken-Grissom
- Institute of the Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
| | - Sönke Johnsen
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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5
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Al-Soudy AS, Maselli V, Galdiero S, Kuba MJ, Polese G, Di Cosmo A. Identification and Characterization of a Rhodopsin Kinase Gene in the Suckers of Octopus vulgaris: Looking around Using Arms? BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10090936. [PMID: 34571813 PMCID: PMC8465341 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Octopus arms are a fascinating and evolutionarily unique sensory organ, with hundreds of motile suckers, each with thousands of sensory cells, lining eight highly flexible arms. Scientifically, there are many open questions regarding the sensory capabilities of the arms and specifically the highly innervated suckers. In our present work, we used a multidisciplinary approach to fully characterize the light-sensing molecule, Ov-GRK1, in the suckers, skin and retina of Octopus vulgaris. We sequenced the O. vulgaris GRK1 gene, defining a phylogenetic tree and performing a 3D structure model prediction. We found differences in the relative expression of mRNA in different sucker types at several locations along the arm, which might indicate a functional difference. Using labeling methods, we localized the expression to the highly sensitive sucker rim. Our findings indicate that octopus suckers, in specific areas of the arm, might have the ability for light sensing. We therefore suggest that suckers are tactile, chemical and light sensors. Abstract In their foraging behavior octopuses rely on arm search movements outside the visual field of the eyes. In these movements the environment is explored primarily by the suckers that line the entire length of the octopus arm. In this study, for the first time, we report the complete characterization of a light-sensing molecule, Ov-GRK1, in the suckers, skin and retina of Octopus vulgaris. We sequenced the O. vulgaris GRK1 gene, defining a phylogenetic tree and performing a 3D structure model prediction. Furthermore, we found differences in relative mRNA expression in different sucker types at several arm levels, and localized it through in situ hybridization. Our findings suggest that the suckers in octopus arms are much more multimodal than was previously shown, adding the potential for light sensing to the already known mechanical and chemical sensing abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Al-Sayed Al-Soudy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.-S.A.-S.); (V.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Valeria Maselli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.-S.A.-S.); (V.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Michael J. Kuba
- Department of Neurobiology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12271, Jerusalem 91120, Israel;
- Physics and Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0945, Japan
| | - Gianluca Polese
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.-S.A.-S.); (V.M.); (G.P.)
| | - Anna Di Cosmo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.-S.A.-S.); (V.M.); (G.P.)
- Correspondence:
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6
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Eacock A, Rowland HM, van’t Hof AE, Yung CJ, Edmonds N, Saccheri IJ. Adaptive colour change and background choice behaviour in peppered moth caterpillars is mediated by extraocular photoreception. Commun Biol 2019; 2:286. [PMID: 31396566 PMCID: PMC6677728 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0502-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Light sensing by tissues distinct from the eye occurs in diverse animal groups, enabling circadian control and phototactic behaviour. Extraocular photoreceptors may also facilitate rapid colour change in cephalopods and lizards, but little is known about the sensory system that mediates slow colour change in arthropods. We previously reported that slow colour change in twig-mimicking caterpillars of the peppered moth (Biston betularia) is a response to achromatic and chromatic visual cues. Here we show that the perception of these cues, and the resulting phenotypic responses, does not require ocular vision. Caterpillars with completely obscured ocelli remained capable of enhancing their crypsis by changing colour and choosing to rest on colour-matching twigs. A suite of visual genes, expressed across the larval integument, likely plays a key role in the mechanism. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that extraocular colour sensing can mediate pigment-based colour change and behaviour in an arthropod.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Eacock
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB UK
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena, 07745 Germany
| | - Hannah M. Rowland
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena, 07745 Germany
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Arjen E. van’t Hof
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB UK
| | - Carl J. Yung
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB UK
| | - Nicola Edmonds
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB UK
| | - Ilik J. Saccheri
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB UK
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7
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Crowe-Riddell JM, Simões BF, Partridge JC, Hunt DM, Delean S, Schwerdt JG, Breen J, Ludington A, Gower DJ, Sanders KL. Phototactic tails: Evolution and molecular basis of a novel sensory trait in sea snakes. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2013-2028. [PMID: 30767303 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dermal phototaxis has been reported in a few aquatic vertebrate lineages spanning fish, amphibians and reptiles. These taxa respond to light on the skin of their elongate hind-bodies and tails by withdrawing under cover to avoid detection by predators. Here, we investigated tail phototaxis in sea snakes (Hydrophiinae), the only reptiles reported to exhibit this sensory behaviour. We conducted behavioural tests in 17 wild-caught sea snakes of eight species by illuminating the dorsal surface of the tail and midbody skin using cold white, violet, blue, green and red light. Our results confirmed phototactic tail withdrawal in the previously studied Aipysurus laevis, revealed this trait for the first time in A. duboisii and A. tenuis, and suggested that tail photoreceptors have peak spectral sensitivities between blue and green light (457-514 nm). Based on these results, and an absence of photoresponses in five Aipysurus and Hydrophis species, we tentatively infer that tail phototaxis evolved in the ancestor of a clade of six Aipysurus species (comprising 10% of all sea snakes). Quantifying tail damage, we found that the probability of sustaining tail injuries was not influenced by tail phototactic ability in snakes. Gene profiling showed that transcriptomes of both tail skin and body skin lacked visual opsins but contained melanopsin (opn4x) in addition to key genes of the retinal regeneration and phototransduction cascades. This work suggests that a nonvisual photoreceptor (e.g., Gq rhabdomeric) signalling pathway underlies tail phototaxis, and provides candidate gene targets for future studies of this unusual sensory innovation in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna M Crowe-Riddell
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Bruno F Simões
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Julian C Partridge
- School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David M Hunt
- School of Biological Sciences and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Lions Eye Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Steven Delean
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Julian G Schwerdt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - James Breen
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Bioinformatics Hub, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alastair Ludington
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Bioinformatics Hub, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David J Gower
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Kate L Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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8
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Fulgione D, Buglione M, Rippa D, Trapanese M, Petrelli S, Monti DM, Aria M, Del Giudice R, Maselli V. Selection for background matching drives sympatric speciation in Wall Gecko. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1288. [PMID: 30718570 PMCID: PMC6361904 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37587-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wall Gecko shows heterogeneous colour pattern, which may vary among individuals, depending on the time of day and on the habitat segregation. Nocturnal pale geckos live exclusively on walls. Diurnal dark geckos preferentially live on olive tree trunks, demonstrating an ability to change skin colour that is superior to that of the pale gecko and allows diurnal geckos becoming camouflaged on the diverse substrates occupied during the day. In our study, the nocturnal/pale/wall and diurnal/dark/trunk geckos could be considered the extremes of an ecological cline of morphological variation on which divergent selection may be acting. Combining the effect of balancing selection on nocturnal geckos and disruptive selection between two sympatric populations could lead to speciation. All geckos analysed here belong to the same species, as confirmed by genetic characterization, however diurnal and nocturnal gecko populations seem to be in an early stage of incipient speciation. These two different morphs still combine genes, as revealed by neutral genetic markers, yet they show complete separation according to the analyses of mtDNA coding genes. Experimental results show that diurnal and nocturnal geckos do not swap their niches, likely because the predation pressure causes severe selection for background matching. Genomic analysis of complete mtDNA suggests that nocturnal geckos seem to be under balancing selection perhaps due to the narrow niche in which they live, whereas the daytime population has more opportunity in fitting into the multiple available niches, and they experience positive selection. Here we hypothesize that the ecological segregation that we are witnessing between the nocturnal and diurnal geckos, can lead to a ecological speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Fulgione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy.
| | - Maria Buglione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Rippa
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Trapanese
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Petrelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Daria Maria Monti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo Aria
- Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Rita Del Giudice
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Maselli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy
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9
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Dalesio NM, Barreto Ortiz SF, Pluznick JL, Berkowitz DE. Olfactory, Taste, and Photo Sensory Receptors in Non-sensory Organs: It Just Makes Sense. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1673. [PMID: 30542293 PMCID: PMC6278613 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory receptors that detect and respond to light, taste, and smell primarily belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily. In addition to their established roles in the nose, tongue, and eyes, these sensory GPCRs have been found in many ‘non-sensory' organs where they respond to different physicochemical stimuli, initiating signaling cascades in these extrasensory systems. For example, taste receptors in the airway, and photoreceptors in vascular smooth muscle cells, both cause smooth muscle relaxation when activated. In addition, olfactory receptors are present within the vascular system, where they play roles in angiogenesis as well as in modulating vascular tone. By better understanding the physiological and pathophysiological roles of sensory receptors in non-sensory organs, novel therapeutic agents can be developed targeting these receptors, ultimately leading to treatments for pathological conditions and potential cures for various disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Dalesio
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sebastian F Barreto Ortiz
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jennifer L Pluznick
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dan E Berkowitz
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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10
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Avallone B, Tizzano M, Cerciello R, Buglione M, Fulgione D. Gross anatomy and ultrastructure of Moorish Gecko, Tarentola mauritanica skin. Tissue Cell 2018; 51:62-67. [PMID: 29622089 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The epidermis of Tarentola mauritanica in the skin regions of back, flank and belly has been described using light and electron microscopy. This animal model was useful to give an insight of the functional pattern involved in pigmentation, cryptism and photosensitivity. Skin from back and flanks, in electron microscopy, shows a high concentration of chromatophores, among those melanophores, xanthophores and iridophores have been reported. Interestingly, in the flank-back transition region electron microscopy reveals the presence of nerve endings. Our contribution adds new knowledge about the skin of this species, and it could be useful to study in deep the mechanism of cryptic colour change in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bice Avallone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Monica Tizzano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Raimondo Cerciello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Maria Buglione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Domenico Fulgione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy.
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11
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De novo transcriptomics reveal distinct phototransduction signaling components in the retina and skin of a color-changing vertebrate, the hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018; 204:475-485. [PMID: 29492668 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1254-4] [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: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Across diverse taxa, an increasing number of photoreceptive systems are being discovered in tissues outside of the eye, such as in the skin. Dermal photoreception is believed to serve a variety of functions, including rapid color change via specialized cells called chromatophores. In vitro studies of this system among color-changing fish have suggested the use of a phototransduction signaling cascade that fundamentally differs from that of the retina. Thus, the goal of this study was to identify phototransduction genes and compare their expression in the retina and skin of a color-changing fish, the hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus. De novo transcriptomics revealed the expression of genes that may underlie distinct, yet complete phototransduction cascades in L. maximus retina and skin. In contrast to the five visual opsin genes and cGMP-dependent phototransduction components expressed in the retina of L. maximus, only a single short-wavelength sensitive opsin (SWS1) and putative cAMP-dependent phototransduction components were expressed in the skin. These data suggest a separate evolutionary history of phototransduction in the retina and skin of certain vertebrates and, for the first time, indicate an expression repertoire of genes that underlie a non-retinal phototransduction pathway in the skin of a color-changing fish.
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12
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Boyer JF, Swierk L. Rapid body color brightening is associated with exposure to a stressor in an Anolis lizard. CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Many species use color change to optimize body coloration to changing environmental conditions, and drivers of rapid color change in natural populations are numerous and poorly understood. We examined factors influencing body coloration in the Water Anole (Anolis aquaticus Taylor, 1956), a lizard possessing color-changing stripes along the length of its body. We quantified the color of three body regions (the eye stripe, lateral stripe, and dorsum) before and after exposure to a mild stressor (handling and restraint). Based on current understanding of the genus Anolis Daudin, 1802, we hypothesized that exposure to a stressor would generate genus-typical skin darkening (i.e., increased melanism). Contrary to expectations, stress consistently brightened body coloration: eye and lateral stripes transitioned from brown to pale blue and green and the dorsum became lighter brown. Sex, size, and body temperature did not correlate with any aspect of body coloration, and a laboratory experiment confirmed that light exposure did not drive brightening. We propose that color change may serve to reduce conspicuousness through disruptive camouflage; lizards tended to display brighter stripes on mottled green–brown substrates. Together, these results improve our understanding of Anolis color change diversity and emphasize the need for a broader interpretation of the mechanism and functions of color change across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane F.F. Boyer
- Division of Natural Sciences, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam 96923
| | - Lindsey Swierk
- Las Cruces Biological Station, Organization for Tropical Studies, Apartado 73-8257, San Vito de Coto Brus, Costa Rica
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Kelley JL, Davies WIL. The Biological Mechanisms and Behavioral Functions of Opsin-Based Light Detection by the Skin. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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15
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Ramirez MD, Oakley TH. Eye-independent, light-activated chromatophore expansion (LACE) and expression of phototransduction genes in the skin of Octopus bimaculoides. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 218:1513-20. [PMID: 25994633 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.110908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cephalopods are renowned for changing the color and pattern of their skin for both camouflage and communication. Yet, we do not fully understand how cephalopods control the pigmented chromatophore organs in their skin and change their body pattern. Although these changes primarily rely on eyesight, we found that light causes chromatophores to expand in excised pieces of Octopus bimaculoides skin. We call this behavior light-activated chromatophore expansion (or LACE). To uncover how octopus skin senses light, we used antibodies against r-opsin phototransduction proteins to identify sensory neurons that express r-opsin in the skin. We hypothesized that octopus LACE relies on the same r-opsin phototransduction cascade found in octopus eyes. By creating an action spectrum for the latency to LACE, we found that LACE occurred most quickly in response to blue light. We fit our action spectrum data to a standard opsin curve template and estimated the λmax of LACE to be 480 nm. Consistent with our hypothesis, the maximum sensitivity of the light sensors underlying LACE closely matches the known spectral sensitivity of opsin from octopus eyes. LACE in isolated preparations suggests that octopus skin is intrinsically light sensitive and that this dispersed light sense might contribute to their unique and novel patterning abilities. Finally, our data suggest that a common molecular mechanism for light detection in eyes may have been co-opted for light sensing in octopus skin and then used for LACE.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Desmond Ramirez
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-6150, USA
| | - Todd H Oakley
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-6150, USA
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Escudero P, Minoli I, González Marín M, Morando M, Avila L. Melanism and ontogeny: a case study in lizards of the Liolaemus fitzingerii group (Squamata: Liolaemini). CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Color polymorphisms in general and melanism in particular have been the focus of many evolutionary adaptation studies. In lizards of the genus Liolaemus Wiegmann, 1834, patterns of melanism have been poorly studied, although they have been used as diagnostic characters for identifying and describing new species. We investigated the relationships between melanism, body size, sex, and time in a population of Rawson Lizard (Liolaemus xanthoviridis Cei and Scolaro, 1980) with extensive ventral melanism. The study took place in Bahía Isla Escondida, Chubut (Argentina), during three summer seasons (2012 to 2014). We tagged each individual, recorded body measurements and sex, and took ventral photographs to estimate the proportion of melanism. Our results showed that ventral melanism increased over time as each individual increased its snout–vent length (SVL). Body size explained 44% of the variation in melanism and males were more melanistic than females. Previous comparative studies of lizards in this species group showed no relationship between melanism and different taxonomic units or with thermal functionality. Here, we present evidence suggesting that melanism might be a character with an ontogenetic origin that is strongly associated with sex and body size. This pattern could be shared among species of this group of lizards, and even more importantly, it may be related to variable selection forces occurring throughout ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- P.C. Escudero
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
| | - I. Minoli
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
| | - M.A. González Marín
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
| | - M. Morando
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
| | - L.J. Avila
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
- Grupo de Herpetología Patagónica, Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Centro Nacional Patagónico–CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Bld. Alte. Brown 2915, (U9120ACD), Chubut, Argentina
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18
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Vickaryous MK, Meldrum G, Russell AP. Armored geckos: A histological investigation of osteoderm development in Tarentola (Phyllodactylidae) and Gekko (Gekkonidae) with comments on their regeneration and inferred function. J Morphol 2015; 276:1345-57. [PMID: 26248595 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Osteoderms are bone-rich organs found in the dermis of many scleroglossan lizards sensu lato, but are only known for two genera of gekkotans (geckos): Tarentola and Gekko. Here, we investigate their sequence of appearance, mode of development, structural diversity and ability to regenerate following tail loss. Osteoderms were present in all species of Tarentola sampled (Tarentola annularis, T. mauritanica, T. americana, T. crombei, T. chazaliae) as well as Gekko gecko, but not G. smithii. Gekkotan osteoderms first appear within the integument dorsal to the frontal bone or within the supraocular scales. They then manifest as mineralized structures in other positions across the head. In Tarentola and G. gecko, discontinuous clusters subsequently form dorsal to the pelvis/base of the tail, and then dorsal to the pectoral apparatus. Gekkotan osteoderm formation begins once the dermis is fully formed. Early bone deposition appears to involve populations of fibroblast-like cells, which are gradually replaced by more rounded osteoblasts. In T. annularis and T. mauritanica, an additional skeletal tissue is deposited across the superficial surface of the osteoderm. This tissue is vitreous, avascular, cell-poor, lacks intrinsic collagen, and is herein identified as osteodermine. We also report that following tail loss, both T. annularis and T. mauritanica are capable of regenerating osteoderms, including osteodermine, in the regenerated part of the tail. We propose that osteoderms serve roles in defense against combative prey and intraspecific aggression, along with anti-predation functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Vickaryous
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, N.W, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - G Meldrum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, N.W, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - A P Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, N.W, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
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Godfrey-Smith P. Cephalopod cognition. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Fulgione D, Lega C, Trapanese M, Buglione M. Genetic factors implied in melanin‐based coloration of the Italian wall lizard. J Zool (1987) 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Fulgione
- Department of Biology University of Naples ‘Federico II’ Napoli Italy
| | - C. Lega
- Department of Biology University of Naples ‘Federico II’ Napoli Italy
- Department of Earth Science University of Pisa Pisa Italy
| | - M. Trapanese
- Department of Biology University of Naples ‘Federico II’ Napoli Italy
| | - M. Buglione
- Department of Biology University of Naples ‘Federico II’ Napoli Italy
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