Data from: Effects of light environment during growth on the expression of cone opsin genes and behavioral spectral sensitivities in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

Background: The visual system is important for animals for mate choice, food acquisition, and predator avoidance. Animals possessing a visual system can sense particular wavelengths of light emanating from objects and their surroundings and perceive their environments by processing information contained in these visual perceptions of light. Visual perception in individuals varies with the absorption spectra of visual pigments and the expression levels of opsin genes, which may be altered according to the light environments. However, which light environments and the mechanism by which they change opsin expression profiles and whether these changes in opsin gene expression can affect light sensitivities are largely unknown. This study determined whether the light environment during growth induced plastic changes in opsin gene expression and behavioral sensitivity to particular wavelengths of light in guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Results: Individuals grown under orange light exhibited a higher expression of long wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsin genes and a higher sensitivity to 600-nm light than those grown under green light. In addition, we confirmed that variations in the expression levels of LWS opsin genes were related to the behavioral sensitivities to long wavelengths of light. Conclusions: The light environment during the growth stage alters the expression levels of LWS opsin genes and behavioral sensitivities to long wavelengths of light in guppies. The plastically enhanced sensitivity to background light due to changes in opsin gene expression can enhance the detection and visibility of predators and foods, thereby affecting survival. Moreover, changes in sensitivities to orange light may lead to changes in the discrimination of orange/red colors of male guppies and might alter female preferences for male color patterns.背景：视觉系统对于动物的配偶选择、食物获取以及规避捕食均具有重要意义。拥有视觉系统的动物能够感知物体及其周围环境所辐射出的特定波长光线，并通过处理这些光线视觉感知所蕴含的信息来认知周遭环境。个体的视觉感知会随视觉色素的吸收光谱以及视蛋白（opsin）基因的表达水平发生变化，而这两类因素可依据光照环境进行调整。然而，目前尚不清楚具体是哪些光照环境、它们调控视蛋白表达谱的机制是什么，以及视蛋白基因表达的此类变化是否会影响光线敏感度。本研究以孔雀鱼（Poecilia reticulata）为研究对象，探究生长阶段的光照环境是否会诱导视蛋白基因表达的可塑性变化，以及其对特定波长光线的行为敏感性。结果：与在绿光环境下饲养的个体相比，在橙光环境下饲养的个体其长波长敏感型（long wavelength-sensitive, LWS）视蛋白基因的表达水平更高，对600纳米光线的敏感性也更强。此外，本研究证实，LWS视蛋白基因的表达水平变化与个体对长波长光线的行为敏感性密切相关。结论：孔雀鱼生长阶段的光照环境会改变其LWS视蛋白基因的表达水平，以及对长波长光线的行为敏感性。因视蛋白基因表达变化而产生的对背景光线敏感性的可塑性增强，能够提升对捕食者与食物的探测能力和辨识度，进而影响个体存活。此外，对橙光敏感性的变化可能会改变孔雀鱼雄性个体橙/红色调的识别能力，亦可能改变雌性个体对雄性体色模式的偏好。