If you too like #opsin evolution, check our new #bioinformatics tool #Matreex to visualize the evolution of complex gene families, illustrated by the evolution of vertebrate red-sensitive visual opsins https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.18.529053v1.full #SMBE2023

Marjorie Liénard: method to express invertebrate opsin proteins in vitro, allowing to show spectral shifts in opsins in butterflies, with notably 2 paralogs of LW providing differentiation in function between the dorsal and ventral parts of the eye https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2008986118 #SMBE2023 #opsin #GeneDuplication #paralog

Our favourite #Platynereis #opsin now in the mammalian brain as a new #optogenetic tool!

"Here we ... found that the Platynereis dumerilii ciliary opsin ... is an efficient, versatile, light-activated bistable GPCR that can suppress synaptic transmission in mammalian neurons with high temporal precision in-vivo "

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.01.547328v1

#neuroscience #GPCR

These cells have highly ramified #cilia and express a ciliary #opsin 1. Mutant larvae lacking ciliary opsin 1 had smaller and disorganised sensory cilia and reduced pressure responses, confirming that the photoreceptors are the pressure sensors.
5/9

#Matreex can be used for teaching, as here with the classical example of opsin evolution: notice the parallele loss of blue- and green-sensitive opsins in snakes and mammals, the duplications in frugivorous old-world primates, and the duplications and losses in fishes according to habitat. #opsin #MolecularEvolution

My first, first-author publication now has it's first citation!
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?oi=bibs&hl=en&cites=14861386371166261558

#visionscience #opsin #visualecology

Hot off the press! Move over deep homology, what about ‘deep diversity’? We review the vast variation of visual system development and physiology.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/24/3966

#evolution #complexity #opsin #eyes