Document Detail


Electrophysiological assessment of spectral sensitivity in adult Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus: evidence for violet sensitivity.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20400629     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The cichlid fish radiations of the African Great Lakes are an important model for evolutionary biology. Cichlids have diverse colour vision systems and predominately express three cone visual pigments. However, rare populations of spectrally distinct cones have been found in a number of species, but it is not known whether they contribute to spectral sensitivity. Adult Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, an ancestral outgroup to the cichlid radiations in the Great Lakes, have three cone types: short-wavelength sensitive (SWS), medium-wavelength sensitive (MWS) and long-wavelength sensitive (LWS) cones, but evidence from microspectrophotometry and cone opsin gene expression suggests they may also have violet-sensitive (VS) cones. We used electrophysiology to assess spectral sensitivity in this species and found evidence of four sensitivity peaks in the ranges 380-420, 440-480, 500-600 and 600-680 nm, with maximal sensitivity at longer wavelengths. The continued presence of a 380-420 nm peak under long-wavelength chromatic adapting backgrounds indicates that this is due to a VS cone mechanism not the beta-band of the LWS cone mechanism. Differences in spectral sensitivity curves recorded at different times of year revealed evidence of A1/A2 shifts. The presence of notches in the sensitivity curves and a multiple-mechanisms model used to assess cone contributions indicated that the curves are the result of four cone mechanisms (VS, SWS, MWS and LWS cones) and that chromatically opponent processes occur between mechanisms. The spectral transmittance of the lens steeply declines between 410-380 nm, limiting the short-wavelength limb of the VS cone. As adults, Nile tilapia appear to possess the necessary retinal mechanisms for colour vision. While maximal sensitivity to longer wavelengths is an adaptation to the wavelengths of light predominantly available in their natural habitats, their broad sensitivity range suggests that Nile tilapia possess a flexible, generalised visual system able to adapt to changes in visual environment in their highly variable natural habitat.
Authors:
T J Lisney; E Studd; C W Hawryshyn
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of experimental biology     Volume:  213     ISSN:  1477-9145     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Exp. Biol.     Publication Date:  2010 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-04-19     Completed Date:  2010-07-05     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0243705     Medline TA:  J Exp Biol     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1453-63     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Center for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Cichlids / physiology*
Color Vision*
Electrophysiology* / methods
Lens, Crystalline / metabolism
Models, Biological
Retinal Pigments / metabolism
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Retinal Pigments

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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