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Published on: February 26, 2016
Y-chromosomal red-green opsin genes of nocturnal New World monkey
Shoji Kawamura1, Naomi Takenaka, Chihiro Hiramatsu
1Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan. kawamura@k.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Abstract:
The X-chromosomal locality of the red-green-sensitive opsin genes has been the norm for all mammals and is essential for color vision of higher primates. Owl monkeys (Aotus), a genus of New World monkeys, are the only nocturnal higher primates and are severely color-blind. We demonstrate that the owl monkeys possess extra red-green opsin genes on the Y-chromosome. The Y-linked opsin genes were found to be extremely varied, in one male appearing to be a functional gene and in other males to be multicopy pseudogenes. These Y-linked opsin genes should offer a rare opportunity to study the evolutionary fate of genes translocated to the Y chromosome.
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