Divergence in cis-regulatory sequences surrounding the opsin gene arrays of African cichlid fishes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Divergence within cis-regulatory sequences may contribute to the adaptive evolution of gene expression, but functional alleles in these regions are difficult to identify without abundant genomic resources. Among African cichlid fishes, the differential expression of seven opsin genes has produced adaptive differences in visual sensitivity. Quantitative genetic analysis suggests that cis-regulatory alleles near the SWS2-LWS opsins may contribute to this variation. Here, we sequence BACs containing the opsin genes of two cichlids, Oreochromis niloticus and Metriaclima zebra. We use phylogenetic footprinting and shadowing to examine divergence in conserved non-coding elements, promoter sequences, and 3'-UTRs surrounding each opsin in search of candidate cis-regulatory seque

SUBMITTER: O'Quin KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3116502 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature