Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

10.5K
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
10.5K
Channel Rhodopsins01:11

Channel Rhodopsins

3.4K
Most organisms use photoreceptors to sense and respond to light. Examples of photoreceptors include bacteriorhodopsins and bacteriophytochromes in some bacteria, phytochromes in plants, and rhodopsins in the photoreceptor cells of the vertebral retina. The light-sensitive property of these receptors is because of the bound chromophores, such as bilin in the phytochromes and retinal in the rhodopsins.
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
3.4K
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

4.7K
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent...
4.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A systematic review and meta-analysis into the effect of lateral wedge arch support insoles for reducing knee joint load in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis.

Medicine·2017
Same author

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes patients.

Diabetes research and clinical practice·2017
Same author

Genetic variation and phylogeographic structure of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, based on mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers.

Scientific reports·2017
Same author

Tetramethylpyrazine blocks TFAM degradation and up-regulates mitochondrial DNA copy number by interacting with TFAM.

Bioscience reports·2017
Same author

Mitochondrial LON protease-dependent degradation of cytochrome c oxidase subunits under hypoxia and myocardial ischemia.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Bioenergetics·2017
Same author

The efficacy and safety of epinephrine for postoperative bleeding in total joint arthroplasty: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.

Medicine·2017

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings
08:33

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Published on: February 26, 2016

12.0K

Functional opsin retrogene in nocturnal moth.

Pengjun Xu1,2, Roberto Feuda3, Bin Lu4

  • 1State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuan Ming Yuan Road, Beijing, 100193 People's Republic of China.

Mobile DNA
|October 26, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Retrotransposition drives new gene evolution in insects. A novel opsin gene, LWS2, was identified in moths, showing functional evidence and distinct expression patterns, suggesting a role beyond adult vision.

Keywords:
EvolutionExpressionGene duplicationNoctuidae

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological Methods for Measuring Photopigment Levels in Drosophila Photoreceptors
08:09

Electrophysiological Methods for Measuring Photopigment Levels in Drosophila Photoreceptors

Published on: June 2, 2022

2.7K
Tracking Drosophila Larval Behavior in Response to Optogenetic Stimulation of Olfactory Neurons
06:49

Tracking Drosophila Larval Behavior in Response to Optogenetic Stimulation of Olfactory Neurons

Published on: March 21, 2018

7.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings
08:33

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Published on: February 26, 2016

12.0K
Electrophysiological Methods for Measuring Photopigment Levels in Drosophila Photoreceptors
08:09

Electrophysiological Methods for Measuring Photopigment Levels in Drosophila Photoreceptors

Published on: June 2, 2022

2.7K
Tracking Drosophila Larval Behavior in Response to Optogenetic Stimulation of Olfactory Neurons
06:49

Tracking Drosophila Larval Behavior in Response to Optogenetic Stimulation of Olfactory Neurons

Published on: March 21, 2018

7.9K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Retrotransposed genes originate from processed mRNA and reinsert into the genome.
  • Their contribution to new gene evolution was historically doubted due to loss of regulatory sequences.
  • Recent evidence highlights retrotransposition's role in new gene origins, particularly in mammals, with less data from insects.

Observation:

  • Sequencing mRNA from *Helicoverpa armigera* revealed a novel, intronless opsin gene, LWS2.
  • LWS2 retrogenes were found in six other noctuid moths, with phylogenetic analysis in 15 Lepidoptera and 1 Trichoptera genomes.
  • LWS2 appears to have evolved within the noctuid family.

Findings:

  • All identified LWS2 opsins possess intact open reading frames (ORFs).
  • LWS2 exhibited a higher ω-value (0.08202) than its paralog LWS1 (0.02536), indicating relaxed purifying selection.
  • LWS2 expression is temporally compartmentalized, with higher levels in early larval stages and lower levels in adults compared to other opsins.

Implications:

  • The study suggests LWS2 is a functional gene in moths.
  • Despite functionality, lower adult expression implies LWS2 may not be primarily involved in adult visual processes.
  • This research contributes to understanding gene evolution via retrotransposition in insects.