CRISPR/CAS9 mutagenesis of a single r-opsin gene blocks phototaxis in a marine larva.

ABSTRACT: Many marine animals depend upon a larval phase of their life cycle to locate suitable habitat, and larvae use light detection to influence swimming behaviour and dispersal. Light detection is mediated by the opsin genes, which encode light-sensitive transmembrane proteins. Previous studies suggest that r-opsins in the eyes mediate locomotory behaviour in marine protostomes, but few have provided direct evidence through gene mutagenesis. Larvae of the marine annelid Capitella teleta have simple eyespots and are positively phototactic, although the molecular components that mediate this behaviour are unknown. Here, we characterize the spatio-temporal expression of the rhabdomeric opsin genes in C. teleta and show that a single rhabdomeric opsin gene, Ct-r-opsin1, is expressed in the larval p

SUBMITTER: Neal S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6571462 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature