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Color vision research began in mice, as well as the study of cones and light processing, but new research using zebrafish has allowed researchers at the University of Tokyo to understand the evolutionary benefits of color vision development and the processes that can cause color blindness.
Danio is constantly used in medical research for several reasons:
- Their entire genome is sequenced, which means researchers can easily spot abnormalities in their genetic makeup or create mutations to study genetic functions.
- Zebrafish share 70% of their genes with humans.
- They are transparent so researchers can see how their internal structures develop and develop.
- 84% of human disease genes have a zebrafish analog, which means researchers can compare the physiological response of zebrafish to disease with that of humans.
In a study from the University of Tokyo, researchers were able to genetically modify zebrafish cones. The cones are the part of the eye that provides color vision. When combined with rods, the cones capture light waves and allow us and the fish to process and color. By combining the study of genomic sequences that create types of cones specific to certain light waves and gene editing tools that allow us to change genes, the researchers were able to turn off the cones in the eyes of zebrafish, which see blue and green light.
How do genes affect vision?
With the exception of the fogging of the mask on the cornea of the eye and the presence of additional cones in some species of fish, fish eyes are very similar in structure to human eyes. Both use rods and cones to process external stimuli. These stimuli are then transmitted through the nervous system to the brain through a chain reaction of electrical charges. Pisces can also see many color combinations, just like humans. In fact, some species of fish can see even more shades and colors than humans! These similarities in genetic and structural makeup are the reason why researchers began to use fish to study vision, rather than mice.
Mice cannot distinguish between blue and green. Their vision is limited to wavelengths that do not contain these colors. This is simply why mice evolved differently than humans and fish. However, in humans and fish, color is important for survival (for fish) and understanding their community and culture (for humans).
Researchers have identified three types of genes that are present in creatures with four cones that can handle four different wavelengths of light. These cones are controlled by the following genes: six6b, six7, and foxq2… Foxq2 controls blue light processing and activates six6b and six7 genes that send blue light signals to the brain.
In their study, the researchers were able to disable foxq2 gene in the zebrafish genome sequence. This blocked blue light from the cones of the zebrafish and caused their eyes to adapt to shorter processing sequences that did not end up processing blue. This process and blocking helped the researchers identify two things:
- They were able to discover the importance of blue for the survival of zebrafish. Zebrafish, which could not process blue light, had a harder time finding food in their environment.
- They were able to study the process of activating and deactivating a gene that affects color processing.
The Impact of Understanding Color Processing by Zebrafish
By activating and deactivating foxq2 gene in zebrafish, researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding color blindness in humans. By studying how genes interact in a genome sequence as they process different wavelengths, researchers may eventually apply this research to correct color blindness in humans.
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