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Abstract
Most vertebrates have a duplex retina comprising two photoreceptor types, rods for dim-light (scotopic) vision and cones for bright-light (photopic) and color vision. However, deep-sea fishes are only active in dim-light conditions; hence, most species have lost their cones in favor of a simplex retina composed exclusively of rods. Although the pearlsides, Maurolicus spp., have such a pure rod retina, their behavior is at odds with this simplex visual system. Contrary to other deep-sea fishes, pearlsides are mostly active during dusk and dawn close to the surface, where light levels are intermediate (twilight or mesopic) and require the use of both rod and cone photoreceptors. This study elucidates this paradox by demonstrating that the pearlside retina does not have rod photoreceptors only; instead, it is composed almost exclusively of transmuted cone photoreceptors. These transmuted cells combine the morphological characteristics of a rod photoreceptor with a cone opsin and a cone phototransduction cascade to form a unique photoreceptor type, a rod-like cone, specifically tuned to the light conditions of the pearlsides' habitat (blue-shifted light at mesopic intensities). Combining properties of both rods and cones into a single cell type, instead of using two photoreceptor types that do not function at their full potential under mesopic conditions, is likely to be the most efficient and economical solution to optimize visual performance. These results challenge the standing paradigm of the function and evolution of the vertebrate duplex retina and emphasize the need for a more comprehensive evaluation of visual systems in general.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 4709 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Science Advances |
Volume | 3 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2017 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Pushing the limits of photoreception in twilight conditions: The rod-like cone retina of the deep-sea pearlsides'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Datasets
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Data from: Pushing the limits of photoreception in twilight conditions: The rod-like cone retina of the deep-sea pearlsides
De Busserolles, F. (Creator), Cortesi, F. (Creator), Helvik, J. V. (Creator), Davies, W. I. L. (Creator), Templin, R. M. (Creator), Sullivan, R. (Creator), Michell, C. T. (Creator), Mountford, J. K. (Creator), Collin, S. P. (Creator), Irigoien, X. (Creator), Kaartvedt, S. (Creator) & Marshall, J. (Creator), DRYAD, 4 Dec 2018
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.c7p60, https://doi.org/10.5061%2Fdryad.c7p60 and 2 more links, https://zenodo.org/record/4306094, https://zenodo.org/records/4306094 (show fewer)
Dataset
Projects
- 2 Finished
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Transcriptome sequencing and functional characterisation of craniate non-visual sensory systems and their adaptation to diverse light environments
Davies, W. (Investigator 01), Hunt, D. (Investigator 02), Carter, K. (Investigator 04), Hemmi, J. (Investigator 04) & Partridge, J. (Investigator 05)
ARC Australian Research Council
1/01/14 → 30/06/17
Project: Research
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Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Non-Visual Photoreception and their Implications in the Treatment of Human Neurological Disaease
Davies, W. (Investigator 01)
ARC Australian Research Council
1/01/11 → 31/01/17
Project: Research