XB-FEAT-1018918

opn3

This is the community wiki page for the gene opn3 please feel free to add any information that is relevant to this gene that is not already captured elsewhere in Xenbase

notes from XB-ART-57377

encephalopsin (opn3), a brain-expressed opsin described originally in mouse and human [58], is conserved as a single copy in the X. laevis genome. The predicted protein (gene 108,713,805; chromosome L1; 3 exons) is a truncated form with only 183 aa, while the X. tropicalis gene contains 7 exons and encodes a 424 aa peptide, suggesting a possible error in X. laevis during genome sequencing and/or annotation. Indeed, using cDNA from stage 43/44 X. laevis embryos, and primers raised against X. tropicalis, we amplified 1010 base pairs (bp) of opn3 that spread across 5 exons, encoding a putative peptide of 336 aa with 80% identity with the tropicalis peptide. opn3 is expressed in the PC as determined by RT-PCR (Fig. 4A). Unfortunately, we were unable to identify specific cells expressing opn3 in the PC by ISH because the sense and the antisense probes generated a high background. Three paralogous genes related phylogenetically to mammalian opn3, named teleost multiple tissue opsin genes (tmtops; tmtopsb and tmtops2; a.k.a. tmta, tmtc, and tmt respectively) were found in the X. laevis genome. The tmtops genes remain duplicated (Fig. 2A), and are not expressed in the PC as determined by RT-PCR (Fig. 4A)."

Source: Bertolesi etal 2020. The regulation of skin pigmentation in response to environmental light by pineal Type II opsins and skin melanophore melatonin receptors. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: BiologyVolume 212, November 2020, 112024