Emergence of Novel Color Vision in Mice Engineered to Express a Human Cone Photopigment

by: Gerald H Jacobs, Gary A Williams, Hugh Cahill, Jeremy Nathans

Science, Vol. 315, No. 5819. (23 March 2007), pp. 1723-1725.

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Abstract

Changes in the genes encoding sensory receptor proteins are an essential step in the evolution of new sensory capacities. In primates, trichromatic color vision evolved after changes in X chromosome-linked photopigment genes. To model this process, we studied knock-in mice that expressed a human long-wavelength-sensitive (L) cone photopigment in the form of an X-linked polymorphism. Behavioral tests demonstrated that heterozygous females, whose retinas contained both native mouse pigments and human L pigment, showed enhanced long-wavelength sensitivity and acquired a new capacity for chromatic discrimination. An inherent plasticity in the mammalian visual system thus permits the emergence of a new dimension of sensory experience based solely on gene-driven changes in receptor organization. 10.1126/science.1138838

@article{citeulike:1181162, abstract = {Changes in the genes encoding sensory receptor proteins are an essential step in the evolution of new sensory capacities. In primates, trichromatic color vision evolved after changes in X chromosome-linked photopigment genes. To model this process, we studied knock-in mice that expressed a human long-wavelength-sensitive (L) cone photopigment in the form of an X-linked polymorphism. Behavioral tests demonstrated that heterozygous females, whose retinas contained both native mouse pigments and human L pigment, showed enhanced long-wavelength sensitivity and acquired a new capacity for chromatic discrimination. An inherent plasticity in the mammalian visual system thus permits the emergence of a new dimension of sensory experience based solely on gene-driven changes in receptor organization. 10.1126/science.1138838}, author = {Jacobs, Gerald H. and Williams, Gary A. and Cahill, Hugh and Nathans, Jeremy }, citeulike-article-id = {1181162}, doi = {10.1126/science.1138838}, journal = {Science}, keywords = {color, cool, trichromacy, vision}, month = {March}, number = {5819}, pages = {1723--1725}, posted-at = {2008-03-16 04:48:00}, priority = {0}, title = {Emergence of Novel Color Vision in Mice Engineered to Express a Human Cone Photopigment}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1138838}, volume = {315}, year = {2007} }

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TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:1181162 L3 - citeulike-article-id:1181162 TI - Emergence of Novel Color Vision in Mice Engineered to Express a Human Cone Photopigment JF - Science VL - 315 IS - 5819 SP - 1723 EP - 1725 N2 - Changes in the genes encoding sensory receptor proteins are an essential step in the evolution of new sensory capacities. In primates, trichromatic color vision evolved after changes in X chromosome-linked photopigment genes. To model this process, we studied knock-in mice that expressed a human long-wavelength-sensitive (L) cone photopigment in the form of an X-linked polymorphism. Behavioral tests demonstrated that heterozygous females, whose retinas contained both native mouse pigments and human L pigment, showed enhanced long-wavelength sensitivity and acquired a new capacity for chromatic discrimination. An inherent plasticity in the mammalian visual system thus permits the emergence of a new dimension of sensory experience based solely on gene-driven changes in receptor organization. 10.1126/science.1138838 KW - color KW - cool KW - trichromacy KW - vision AU - Jacobs, Gerald AU - Williams, Gary AU - Cahill, Hugh AU - Nathans, Jeremy PY - 2007/03/23/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1138838 ER -

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