Immunohistochemical evidence for multiple photosystems in box jellyfish
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Immunohistochemical evidence for multiple photosystems in box jellyfish. / Ekström, Peter; Garm, Anders Lydik; Pålsson, Jonas; Vihtelic, Thomas S; Nilsson, Dan-E.
In: Cell and Tissue Research, Vol. 333, No. 1, 2008, p. 115-124.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunohistochemical evidence for multiple photosystems in box jellyfish
AU - Ekström, Peter
AU - Garm, Anders Lydik
AU - Pålsson, Jonas
AU - Vihtelic, Thomas S
AU - Nilsson, Dan-E
N1 - Vision - Eyes - Opsin - Tripedalia cystophora - Carybdea marsupialis - (Cnidaria, Cubozoa)
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Cubomedusae (box jellyfish) possess a remarkable visual system with 24 eyes distributed in four sensory structures termed rhopalia. Each rhopalium is equipped with six eyes: two pairs of pigment cup eyes and two unpaired lens eyes. Each eye type probably captures specific features of the visual environment. To investigate whether multiple types of photoreceptor cells are present in the rhopalium, and whether the different eye types possess different types of photoreceptors, we have used immunohistochemistry with a range of vertebrate opsin antibodies to label the photoreceptors, and electroretinograms (ERG) to determine their spectral sensitivity. All photoreceptor cells of the two lens eyes of the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora and Carybdea marsupialis displayed immunoreactivity for an antibody directed against the zebrafish ultraviolet (UV) opsin, but not against any of eight other rhodopsin or cone opsin antibodies tested. In neither of the two species were the pigment cup eyes immunoreactive for any of the opsin antibodies. ERG analysis of the Carybdea lower lens eyes demonstrated a single spectral sensitivity maximum at 485 nm suggesting the presence of a single opsin type. Our data demonstrate that the lens eyes of box jellyfish utilize a single opsin and are thus color-blind, and that there is probably a different photopigment in the pigment cup eyes. The results support our hypothesis that the lens eyes and the pigment cup eyes of box jellyfish are involved in different and specific visual tasks.
AB - Cubomedusae (box jellyfish) possess a remarkable visual system with 24 eyes distributed in four sensory structures termed rhopalia. Each rhopalium is equipped with six eyes: two pairs of pigment cup eyes and two unpaired lens eyes. Each eye type probably captures specific features of the visual environment. To investigate whether multiple types of photoreceptor cells are present in the rhopalium, and whether the different eye types possess different types of photoreceptors, we have used immunohistochemistry with a range of vertebrate opsin antibodies to label the photoreceptors, and electroretinograms (ERG) to determine their spectral sensitivity. All photoreceptor cells of the two lens eyes of the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora and Carybdea marsupialis displayed immunoreactivity for an antibody directed against the zebrafish ultraviolet (UV) opsin, but not against any of eight other rhodopsin or cone opsin antibodies tested. In neither of the two species were the pigment cup eyes immunoreactive for any of the opsin antibodies. ERG analysis of the Carybdea lower lens eyes demonstrated a single spectral sensitivity maximum at 485 nm suggesting the presence of a single opsin type. Our data demonstrate that the lens eyes of box jellyfish utilize a single opsin and are thus color-blind, and that there is probably a different photopigment in the pigment cup eyes. The results support our hypothesis that the lens eyes and the pigment cup eyes of box jellyfish are involved in different and specific visual tasks.
U2 - 10.1007/s00441-008-0614-8
DO - 10.1007/s00441-008-0614-8
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 18504619
VL - 333
SP - 115
EP - 124
JO - Cell and Tissue Research
JF - Cell and Tissue Research
SN - 0302-766X
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 10118212