Hadeer Elhabashy

Cis-regulatory evolution of the potassium channel gene kcnj13 during pigment pattern diversification in Danio fish

Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Date: 25-06-0002

DOI: 10.1101/2022.12.05.519077

Abstract: Teleost fish of the genus Danio are excellent models to study the genetic and cellular bases of pigment pattern variation in vertebrates. The two sister species Danio rerio and Danio aesculapii show ergent patterns of horizontal stripes and vertical bars that are partly caused by the evolution of the potassium channel gene kcnj13 . In D. rerio, kcnj13 is required in melanophores for interactions with xanthophores and iridophores, which cause location-specific pigment cell shapes and thereby influence colour pattern and contrast. Here, we show that cis-regulatory rather than protein coding changes underlie kcnj13 evolution between the two species. D. aesculapii express lower kcnj13 levels and exhibit low-contrast patterns similar to D. rerio mutants. Our results suggest that homotypic and heterotypic interactions between the pigment cells and their shapes erged between species by quantitative changes in kcnj13 expression during pigment pattern ersification.

kcnj13 regulates pigment cell shapes in zebrafish and has diverged by cis-regulatory evolution between Danio species

Publisher: The Company of Biologists

Date: 15-08-2023

DOI: 10.1242/DEV.201627

Abstract: Teleost fish of the genus Danio are excellent models to study the genetic and cellular bases of pigment pattern variation in vertebrates. The two sister species Danio rerio and Danio aesculapii show ergent patterns of horizontal stripes and vertical bars that are partly caused by the ergence of the potassium channel gene kcnj13. Here, we show that kcnj13 is required only in melanophores for interactions with xanthophores and iridophores, which cause location-specific pigment cell shapes and thereby influence colour pattern and contrast in D. rerio. Cis-regulatory rather than protein coding changes underlie kcnj13 ergence between the two Danio species. Our results suggest that homotypic and heterotypic interactions between the pigment cells and their shapes erged between species by quantitative changes in kcnj13 expression during pigment pattern ersification.

University Of Tübingen

Location: Germany

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American University In Cairo

Location: Egypt

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Max Planck Institute For Developmental Biology

Location: Germany

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Cairo University

Location: Egypt

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