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Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

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The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
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Although Mendel chose seven unrelated traits in peas to study gene segregation, most traits involve multiple gene interactions that create a spectrum of phenotypes. When the interaction of various genes or alleles at different locations influences a phenotype, this is called epistasis. Epistasis often involves one gene masking or interfering with the expression of another (antagonistic epistasis). Epistasis often occurs when different genes are part of the same biochemical pathway. The...
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Transcriptomic Analysis of Skin Color in Anole Lizards.

Pietro Longo Hollanda de Mello1,2, Paul M Hime2, Richard E Glor1,2

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.

Genome Biology and Evolution
|May 14, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Researchers identified key genes controlling lizard skin color and patterns. This study reveals conserved genetic mechanisms for color variation across vertebrates, aiding future functional studies in anoles.

Keywords:
Anolis distichusCYP2JRNA-seqSCARB1color patterndewlap colordifferential expressionenrichment analyses

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Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Color and pattern are vital for animal survival and reproduction.
  • Identifying the genetic basis of these traits in squamate reptiles remains underexplored.
  • Anole lizards exhibit significant color polymorphism, making them ideal models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify candidate genes for color and color patterns in squamates.
  • To determine if squamates share genetic mechanisms for color variation with other vertebrates.
  • To provide a foundation for future functional studies on anole coloration.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative transcriptomic analysis of white, orange, and yellow anole lizard skin.
  • Analysis of gene expression profiles related to chromatophore types (iridophores, xanthophores/erythrophores, melanophores).
  • Identification of conserved genes involved in pigment synthesis and chromatophore development.

Main Results:

  • Identified 13 candidate genes for squamate color and color patterns, conserved across vertebrates.
  • Six genes are linked to pigment synthesis, and seven to chromatophore development and maintenance.
  • Upregulation of pteridine and carotenoid pathways observed in colored skin, with specific genes linked to xanthophore/erythrophore and melanophore maintenance.

Conclusions:

  • Squamates can produce diverse colors using conserved molecular pathways.
  • Color and color-pattern genes are likely conserved across vertebrate evolution.
  • This study offers a list of candidate genes for functional validation in anoles.