Pinopsin expressed in the retinal photoreceptors of a diurnal gecko

Retinal cDNAs encoding the putative opsins, dg3 and dg4, were isolated from a diurnal gecko, Phelsuma madagascariensis longinsulae, dg3 mRNA is localized in about 20% of the Chin members of type C double cones, and likely encodes an opsin of the ultraviolet-sensitive pigment. Surprisingly, dg4 is very similar to chicken pinopsin, a pineal-specific photoreceptive molecule, An anti-dg4 antiserum recognized a small population of photoreceptor outer segments in the retina and a large number of pinealocytes. Our results suggest that P. m. longinsulae expresses pinopsin in its retina, which usually plays a role as a photoreceptive molecule in the pineal organ, (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.