The Evolution of Primate Color

Vision.

Jacobs, Gerald H.
Nathans, Jeremy
Scientific American: April 2009
 An Overview of Eye Site
• Color vision in humans (and African primates is based on
the property of trichromacy)
• Trichromaticism: possessing 3 types of color receptors
(cone cells) in the eye.
• Not all animals are trichromatic, in fact, many primates in
Central and South America are dichromatic (only possess 2
types of cone cells)
• These trichromatic cells are identified as S (short) M
(medium) and L (long) and are all different types of cone
cells (length refers to the wavelength of light that these
cells absorb).
 The Old Model
• There are differences between African primates (humans, gorillas, etc) and
South/Central American primates, due to population isolation.
• Each group separately converged on the same trait in different ways (non
related)
• The reason that trichromacy is so common in African primates is because it
was so advantageous that it all trichromatic individuals survived and
reproduced compared to non trichromatic individuals
• The gene for the Longer wavelength is located on the X chromosome, a
duplication took place along with a mutation, thus creating a L and M
pigments. (recombination event)
•
Reasons against the Old Model
There seems to be two genetic mechanisms for trichromatic
vision in primates, one in Old World primates and one in New
World Primates.
• New World primates carry both M and L pigment genes on
each X chromosome have trichromatic vision.
• Trichomacy only occurs in a subset of New World females.
• No New World males are trichomatic and 1/3 of females are
not trichromatic, however 2/3 of females are trichromatic.
• Comparison of both M gene amino acid sequences reveal that
they share one set of 3 amino acids.
• It is highly unlikely that both groups converged independently
on identical sets of amino acids, to shift sensitivity to longer
wavelength pigments.
 The New Model
• Allelic variation in today’s New World primates was
most likely the primitive condition (similar to the last
common ancestor of both New and Old world
primates.
• Various pigment alleles most likely arose by multiple
rounds of mutation in the mammalian longer
wavelength pigment gene some time before Old and
New World primate lineages became isolated.
• After a rare error in recombination occurred in a
female of the Old World lineage.
 Cone Cells
• Cone cells are the “color” cells of the eyes, in
trichromaticity animals possess three types of
cone cells
• When trichromaticity evolved was new
“hardwiring” needed, or were primates simply
able to use the new cells?
 The Experiment
• Scientists genetically engineered a mouse X
chromosome so that it encoded a human L
chromosome instead of a mouse M pigment
• The mice then were tested to see what ranges
of light they could see
 Results
• Mice could see new wavelengths.
• In addition, a mosaic model must be what is
present in the eye of females, allowing
females to see multiple wavelengths through
X inactivation.
• The mammalian brain has the innate ability to
use information from different types of visual
input.
 Where to go from here
• How is the short-wavelength pigment
controlled?
• Some females possess 4 types of visual
pigments, can they see a broader range of
light?