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Phenotypic plasticity in visual opsin gene expression: a meta-analysis in teleost fish
César Bertinetti1, Julián Torres-Dowdall1
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|June 3, 2025
Summary
Teleost fish exhibit widespread visual opsin gene expression plasticity, allowing spectral sensitivity adjustment. Internal stimuli drive stronger responses than external ones, indicating broad adaptive potential in visual systems.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Phenotypic plasticity in visual opsin gene expression allows teleost fish to adapt spectral sensitivity to environmental changes.
- The extent and causes of this visual plasticity are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence and strength of opsin gene expression plasticity in teleost fishes.
- To investigate the influence of stimulus type (internal vs. external) and exposure timing (acute vs. developmental) on this plasticity.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was performed, synthesizing 573 effect sizes from 36 independent studies.
- Phylogenetic analysis was employed to examine evolutionary constraints on opsin plasticity.
Main Results:
- Opsin gene expression plasticity is widespread and robust across teleost fishes.
- Internal stimuli, such as hormonal changes, induced stronger and more consistent plasticity than external stimuli (e.g., light).
- Specific opsin genes, including lws (red-sensitive) and sws1 (UV-sensitive), showed significant plasticity.
Conclusions:
- The capacity for visual system modulation via opsin plasticity is broadly distributed across teleost lineages, with no significant evolutionary constraints observed.
- Future research should integrate behavioral, molecular, and ecological data to understand the adaptive significance of opsin plasticity in dynamic environments.
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