DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Opsin Evolution in Mysid Shrimp: A Model for Spectral Tuning

杨百翰大学的基思克兰德尔博士和梅根波特女士获得了一笔赠款，用于研究糠虾（糠虾科：糠虾科）的视觉色素基因。 视色素由视蛋白和相关受体组成，负责检测光线，使视觉成为可能。 视色素可以检测到的光的波长在物种之间是不同的，其中波长检测的差异是由于视蛋白基因的变化。 这为生物体提供了一个机会，使其视色素适应环境中的光线。 糠虾，物种发生在不同的水生栖息地，相对于光，是一个适当的模型系统来调查这种光谱调谐。 本研究的目的是评估环境、视蛋白基因序列与不同生境的光糠虾物种所能探测的波长之间的关系。 这将通过构建所研究的糠虾物种之间的系统发育关系，确定在每个物种中发现的视蛋白基因的序列，并测量每个视觉色素吸收的光的波长来实现。 视觉色素是属于一个大家族的受体的蛋白质，这些受体已被确定为在细胞通信系统中至关重要，包括检测激素，神经递质，气味和光子。 然而，对无脊椎动物视蛋白的了解很少。 通过阐明糠虾视色素对不同波长的调节机制，本研究将为检测其他生物视蛋白的进化提供一个框架。 此外，糠虾在生态上是一个重要的甲壳类动物群体，为淡水和海洋生态系统中的许多物种提供了巨大的食物基础。 糠虾物种也常用作水生生物指示剂。 这项研究将是第一个构建系统发育关系的一个大组的糠虾物种，并将提供必要的框架，为未来的研究在生态学，毒理学和进化。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Keith Crandall and Ms. Megan Porter at Brigham Young University to study the visual pigment gene in mysid shrimp (Mysidacea:Mysidae). Visual pigments consist of an opsin protein and associated receptors responsible for the detection of light, making vision possible. The wavelengths of light that visual pigments can detect differ between species, where differences in wavelength detection are due to changes in the opsin gene. This provides an opportunity for organisms to 'tune' visual pigments to the light present in the environment. Mysid shrimp, where species occur in different aquatic habitats with respect to light, are an appropriate model system to investigate this spectral tuning. The goal of this research is to evaluate the relationship among environment, the sequences of the opsin gene, and the wavelengths of light mysid species from different habitats are capable of detecting. This will be accomplished by constructing the phylogenetic relationships among the mysid species being studied, determining the sequence of the opsin gene found in each species, and measuring the wavelengths of light that each visual pigment absorbs. Visual pigments are proteins that belong to a large family of receptors that have been identified as critical in cellular communication systems, including the detection of hormones, neurotransmitters, odorants, and photons. However, very little is understood about invertebrate opsins. By elucidating the mechanisms controlling the tuning of visual pigments to different wavelengths in mysid shrimp, this study will provide a framework for testing opsin evolution in other organisms. Additionally, the mysid shrimps are an important crustacean group ecologically, providing a large food base for many species in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Mysid species are also commonly used as aquatic bioindicators. This study will be the first to construct the phylogenetic relationships within a large group of mysid species and will provide the necessary framework for future studies in ecology, toxicology, and evolution.