PUBLICATION

Circadian rhythms of behavioral cone sensitivity and long wavelength opsin mRNA expression: a correlation study in zebrafish

Authors
Li, P., Temple, S., Gao, Y., Haimberger, T.J., Hawryshyn, C.W., and Li, L.
ID
ZDB-PUB-050127-3
Date
2005
Source
The Journal of experimental biology   208(Pt3): 497-504 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Li, Lei
Keywords
circadian rhythm, opsin mRNA expression, behavioral visual sensitivity, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal/physiology
  • Circadian Rhythm/drug effects
  • Circadian Rhythm/physiology*
  • Dopamine/pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation/physiology
  • Light
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells/drug effects
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells/metabolism
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells/physiology*
  • Rod Opsins/biosynthesis*
  • Vision, Ocular/physiology
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
PubMed
15671338 Full text @ J. Exp. Biol.
Abstract
Using a behavioral assay based on visually mediated escape responses, we measured long-wavelength-sensitive red cone (LC) sensitivities in zebrafish. In a 24 h period, the zebrafish were least sensitive to red light in the early morning and most sensitive in the late afternoon. To investigate if the fluctuation of behavioral cone sensitivity correlates with opsin gene expression, we measured LC opsin mRNA expression at different times in the day and night under different lighting conditions. Under a normal light-dark cycle, the expression of LC opsin mRNA determined by real-time RT-PCR was low in the early morning and high in the late afternoon, similar to the fluctuation of behavioral cone sensitivity. This rhythm of LC opsin mRNA expression, however, dampened out gradually in constant conditions. After 24 h of constant light (LL), the expression of LC opsin mRNA dropped to levels similar to those determined in the early morning in control animals. By contrast, when the zebrafish were kept in constant dark (DD), the expression of LC opsin mRNA increased, to levels about 30-fold higher than the expression in the early morning in control animals. This day-night fluctuation in LC opsin mRNA expression was correlated to changes in opsin density in the outer segment of cone photoreceptor cells. Microspectrophotometry (MSP) measurements found significant differences in red cone outer segment optical density with a rhythm following the behavioral sensitivity. Furthermore, dopamine modulated the circadian rhythms in expression of LC opsin mRNA. Administration of dopamine increased LC opsin mRNA expression, but only in the early morning.
Genes / Markers
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Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
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Mapping