17
Genetic Diversity of Color Vision
in Primates
WEN-HSIUNG L I I,4, YING TAN I ,4, STEPHANE BOISSINOT 2 , SONG-KUN SHYUE 3 , AND
DAVID HEWETT-EMMETT I
I Human Genetics Center, University of Texas, 6901 Bertner Ave., P.O. Box 20334, Houston,
TX 77225, USA
Z Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, NIDDK, NIH Bethesda, MD 20892-0830,
USA
3 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
4 Current address: Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 1101 East
57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Abstract
In this chapter we review the various genetic systems of color vision in primates,
the origins and evolution of these systems, and the critical amino acid residues
responsible for spectral sensitivity differences among primate photopigments (opsins). Much progress has been made on these topics in recent years, thanks to the
application of molecular and biochemical techniques as well as the use of traditional approaches to color vision research. The progress has led to the revelation of
some misconceptions and to several changes of view. We also discuss the interactions between lifestyle (nocturnal or diurnal) and color vision system, and the role
of natural selection in the evolution of color vision in primates. Further, we review
evidence of frequent gene conversion between X-Iinkedopsin genes or alleles and
describe how gene conversion has made it extremely difficult to infer the evolutionary history of the color vision systems in higher primates.
Key words. opsin genes, trichromacy, dichromacy, monochromacy, polymorphism, ancient
alleles, gene conversion, overdominant selection, gene silencing, parallel changes, nocturnal, diurnal, spectral tuning, simian, prosimian
259
Genetic Diversity of Color Vision
in Primates
WEN-HSIUNG L I I,4, YING TAN I ,4, STEPHANE BOISSINOT 2 , SONG-KUN SHYUE 3 , AND
DAVID HEWETT-EMMETT I
I Human Genetics Center, University of Texas, 6901 Bertner Ave., P.O. Box 20334, Houston,
TX 77225, USA
Z Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, NIDDK, NIH Bethesda, MD 20892-0830,
USA
3 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
4 Current address: Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 1101 East
57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Abstract
In this chapter we review the various genetic systems of color vision in primates,
the origins and evolution of these systems, and the critical amino acid residues
responsible for spectral sensitivity differences among primate photopigments (opsins). Much progress has been made on these topics in recent years, thanks to the
application of molecular and biochemical techniques as well as the use of traditional approaches to color vision research. The progress has led to the revelation of
some misconceptions and to several changes of view. We also discuss the interactions between lifestyle (nocturnal or diurnal) and color vision system, and the role
of natural selection in the evolution of color vision in primates. Further, we review
evidence of frequent gene conversion between X-Iinkedopsin genes or alleles and
describe how gene conversion has made it extremely difficult to infer the evolutionary history of the color vision systems in higher primates.
Key words. opsin genes, trichromacy, dichromacy, monochromacy, polymorphism, ancient
alleles, gene conversion, overdominant selection, gene silencing, parallel changes, nocturnal, diurnal, spectral tuning, simian, prosimian
259