Frogs have maintained a surprising diversity of light-sensing proteins over evolutionary time, according to a new study led by a Penn State researcher.
Frogs have maintained a surprising diversity of light-sensing proteins over evolutionary time, according to a new study led by a Penn State researcher. Light-sensing proteins, called opsins, enable vision in sighted animals, and are responsible for many more biological functions like regulating circadian rhythms. The researchers explored the evolution of nonvisual opsins in frogs, finding that most modern species examined in this study retained a shocking number of these proteins.
The findings were published in the June issue of the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.
“When we think about sensory biology, vision tends to dominate our understanding of light perception,” said Jack Boyette, doctoral student in the Department of Biology at Penn State and lead author on the paper. “But nonvisual light sensitivity has myriad other biologically critical functions, like calibration of circadian rhythm, melatonin release, pupil response, and detection and response to seasonal changes. These functions are all initiated by nonvisual opsins.”
Read more at: Penn State University
A new study led by a Penn State biologist reveals that frogs have maintained a surprising number of nonvisual light-sensing proteins over evolutionary time. These proteins, called opsins, play a role in a variety of biological functions including calibration of circadian rhythm, melatonin release, pupil response, and detection and response to seasonal changes. (Photo Credit: John L. Boyette / Penn State)
