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Molecular evolution of non-visual opsin genes across environmental, developmental, and morphological adaptations in frogs

View ORCID ProfileJohn L Boyette, View ORCID ProfileRayna C Bell, View ORCID ProfileMatthew K Fujita, View ORCID ProfileKate N Thomas, View ORCID ProfileJeffrey W Streicher, David J Gower, View ORCID ProfileRyan K Schott
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.10.515783
John L Boyette
1Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
2Department of Biology, Berry College, Rome, Georgia, USA
3Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
4Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA
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  • For correspondence: jlb7997@psu.edu
Rayna C Bell
3Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
4Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA
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Matthew K Fujita
5Systematics and Biodiversity Science Cluster, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
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Kate N Thomas
5Systematics and Biodiversity Science Cluster, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
6Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
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Jeffrey W Streicher
6Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
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David J Gower
6Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
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Ryan K Schott
3Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
7Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, CAN
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  • For correspondence: jlb7997@psu.edu
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Abstract

Non-visual opsins are transmembrane proteins expressed in the eyes, skin, and brain of many animals. When paired with a light-sensitive chromophore, non-visual opsins form photopigment systems involved in various non-visual, light-detection functions, including circadian rhythm regulation, light-seeking behavior, and detection of seasonality. Previous research has primarily explored the diversity and function of non-visual opsins in model organisms, with few studies investigating their molecular evolution in non-model species. Here we explored molecular evolution of non-visual opsin genes in anuran amphibians (frogs and toads). With diverse lifestyles ranging from fossorial to aquatic, anurans inhabit a diverse array of light environments, which makes them a compelling system for studying the evolution of light detection mechanisms. Using whole-eye transcriptomes from 79 anuran species, as well as genomes and multi-tissue transcriptomes from an additional 15 species, we 1) identify which non-visual opsin genes are expressed in the eyes of anurans; 2) compare selective constraint (ω, or dN/dS) among non-visual opsin genes; and 3) test for potential adaptive evolution by comparing selection between discrete ecological classes in anurans (e.g. diurnal versus non-diurnal). We consistently recovered 14 non-visual opsin genes from anuran eye transcriptomes, compared to 18 genes that we recovered genome wide, and detected positive selection in a subset of these genes. We also found variation in selective constraint between discrete ecological and life-history classes, which may reflect functional adaptation in non-visual opsin genes. Although non-visual opsins remain poorly understood, these findings provide insight into their molecular evolution and set the stage for future research on their potential function across taxa with diverse environmental, developmental, and morphological adaptations.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

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Posted November 14, 2022.
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Molecular evolution of non-visual opsin genes across environmental, developmental, and morphological adaptations in frogs
John L Boyette, Rayna C Bell, Matthew K Fujita, Kate N Thomas, Jeffrey W Streicher, David J Gower, Ryan K Schott
bioRxiv 2022.11.10.515783; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.10.515783
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Molecular evolution of non-visual opsin genes across environmental, developmental, and morphological adaptations in frogs
John L Boyette, Rayna C Bell, Matthew K Fujita, Kate N Thomas, Jeffrey W Streicher, David J Gower, Ryan K Schott
bioRxiv 2022.11.10.515783; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.10.515783

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