The genetic basis of phenotypic changes in extreme environments is a key but rather unexplored topic in animal evolution. Here we provide an exemplar case of evolution by relaxed selection in the Somalian cavefish Phreatichthys andruzzii that has evolved in the complete absence of light for at least 2.8 million years. This has resulted in extreme degenerative phenotypes, including complete eye loss and partial degeneration of the circadian clock. We have investigated the molecular evolution of the nonvisual photoreceptor melanopsin opn4m2, whose mutation contributes to the inability of peripheral clocks to respond to light. Our intra- and inter-species analyses suggest that the ‘blind’ clock in P. andruzzii evolved because of the loss of se...
Circadian rhythms of behavioral and physiological processes are driven by endogenous oscillators sy...
International audienceEvolution sometimes proceeds by loss, especially when structures and genes bec...
Eye regression occurs across cave-dwelling populations of many species and is often coupled with a d...
The genetic basis of phenotypic changes in extreme environments is a key but rather unexplored topic...
Phreatichthys andruzzii is a Somalian cavefish that evolved in complete isolation and absence of li...
The genetic mechanisms underlying regressive evolution—the degeneration or loss of a derived trait—a...
In adaptating to perpetual darkness, cave species gradually lose eyes and body pigmentation and evol...
Progetto Vigoni finanziato da AIT-MIUR e DAAD - The study of subterranean species provides valuable ...
Extremophilic organisms are fascinating in that they thrive in physiologically demanding environment...
The troglomorphic phenotype shared by diverse cave-dwelling animals is regarded as a classical examp...
The utility of any model species cannot be judged solely in terms of the tools and approaches it pro...
Regressive evolution of structures associated with vision in cave-dwelling organisms is the focus of...
A major goal for biology is to understand how the environment influences living systems. In the case...
Circadian rhythms of behavioral and physiological processes are driven by endogenous oscillators sy...
International audienceEvolution sometimes proceeds by loss, especially when structures and genes bec...
Eye regression occurs across cave-dwelling populations of many species and is often coupled with a d...
The genetic basis of phenotypic changes in extreme environments is a key but rather unexplored topic...
Phreatichthys andruzzii is a Somalian cavefish that evolved in complete isolation and absence of li...
The genetic mechanisms underlying regressive evolution—the degeneration or loss of a derived trait—a...
In adaptating to perpetual darkness, cave species gradually lose eyes and body pigmentation and evol...
Progetto Vigoni finanziato da AIT-MIUR e DAAD - The study of subterranean species provides valuable ...
Extremophilic organisms are fascinating in that they thrive in physiologically demanding environment...
The troglomorphic phenotype shared by diverse cave-dwelling animals is regarded as a classical examp...
The utility of any model species cannot be judged solely in terms of the tools and approaches it pro...
Regressive evolution of structures associated with vision in cave-dwelling organisms is the focus of...
A major goal for biology is to understand how the environment influences living systems. In the case...
Circadian rhythms of behavioral and physiological processes are driven by endogenous oscillators sy...
International audienceEvolution sometimes proceeds by loss, especially when structures and genes bec...
Eye regression occurs across cave-dwelling populations of many species and is often coupled with a d...