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Spectral Tuning in Mammalian Melanopsins.

Richard J McDowell1, Mazie J Gatt1, Saba Notash1

  • 1Centre for Biological Timing, Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|September 25, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mammalian melanopsin (a light-sensing protein) shows conserved spectral sensitivity across species. Unique molecular mechanisms, distinct from other opsins, likely constrain this sensitivity.

Keywords:
melanopsinopsin evolutionopsin photochemistryspectral tuningvisual pigments

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Vision science
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Melanopsin, a G-protein coupled receptor, mediates crucial visual and non-visual behaviors in mammals.
  • Human melanopsin's peak sensitivity (λmax) is around 480 nm, a trait presumed common across mammals.
  • The molecular basis for melanopsin's spectral sensitivity and its variation is poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the spectral sensitivity of melanopsins from diverse mammalian species.
  • To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying melanopsin spectral tuning.
  • To compare these mechanisms with those found in other opsin families.

Main Methods:

  • Heterologous action spectroscopy was employed to measure melanopsin spectral sensitivity.
  • Melanopsins from 8 diverse mammalian species were analyzed.
  • Engineered mutants of mouse melanopsin were created to probe spectral tuning mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Melanopsin λmax showed limited variation (23 nm) across the tested mammalian species.
  • Spectral sensitivity was not strongly predicted by phylogeny, retinal physiology, or lighting niche.
  • Mutagenesis altered mouse melanopsin spectral sensitivity, but mechanisms differed from known opsin tuning principles.

Conclusions:

  • Mammalian melanopsin spectral sensitivity is highly conserved.
  • The molecular mechanisms governing melanopsin spectral tuning are distinct from those in vertebrate visual and invertebrate opsins.
  • These findings highlight unique evolutionary constraints on melanopsin function.