Related Experiment Videos
Polymorphism of visual pigments in a callitrichid monkey
D S Travis1, J K Bowmaker, J D Mollon
1School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary College, University of London, England.
Vision Research
|January 1, 1988
Summary
New World monkeys, Callithrix jacchus jacchus, show visual pigment polymorphism. Genetic analysis suggests X-chromosome alleles influence cone pigment variations, particularly in females.
Area of Science:
- Primate vision research
- Molecular genetics
- Spectrophotometry
Background:
- Microspectrophotometry is crucial for analyzing visual pigments.
- Polymorphism in visual pigments is known in some primate species.
- Understanding primate visual systems aids evolutionary studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate visual pigment polymorphism in Callithrix jacchus jacchus.
- To correlate pigment variations with genetic models.
- To assess the prevalence of cone pigment polymorphism in neotropical primates.
Main Methods:
- Microspectrophotometric measurements of visual pigments.
- Analysis of spectral positions and number of pigments.
- Comparison with genetic theories of X-linked inheritance.
Main Results:
- Common rod (Lmax 499 nm) and short-wave (Lmax 423 nm) pigments observed.
- Polymorphism identified in green-yellow spectral region pigments (545, 559, 567 nm).
- Sex-specific pigment expression noted: males (one pigment), females (one or two).
Conclusions:
- Results support a genetic model with three X-chromosome alleles for Callithrix visual pigments.
- Visual pigment polymorphism, especially in cone pigments, is likely common in neotropical primates.