Characterisation of white and yellow eye colour mutant strains of house cricket, Acheta domesticus

Two eye-colour mutant strains, white (W) and yellow (Y) of house cricket Acheta domesticus were established in our laboratory. We phenotyped and genotyped the mutants, performed genetic crossings and studied the eye structure and pigment composition using light and electron microscopy and biochemical analysis. We show that W and Y phenotypes are controlled by a single autosomal recessive allele, as both traits are metabolically independent. The analysis of the mutants`eye structure showed a reduced number of dark pigment granules while simultaneously, and an increased amount of light vacuoles in white eye mutants was observed. Significant differences in eye pigment composition between strains were also found. The Y mutant had a lower number of ommochromes, while the W mutant had a lower number of ommochromes and pteridines. This indicates that mutated genes are involved in two different, independent metabolic pathways regulating tryptophan metabolism enzymes, pigment transporter granules or pigment granule formation.本实验室成功构建了家蟋蟀（Acheta domesticus）的两种眼色突变品系：白眼品系（W）与黄眼品系（Y）。本研究对上述突变体开展了表型鉴定与基因分型，实施了遗传杂交实验，并结合光学显微镜、电子显微镜与生化分析技术，对其眼部结构及色素组成进行了系统研究。研究结果显示，W与Y突变表型均受单个常染色体隐性等位基因调控，且二者的性状代谢通路彼此独立。对突变体眼部结构的分析结果表明，白眼突变体的深色色素颗粒数量减少，同时其浅色液泡数量显著增加。不同品系间的眼部色素组成同样存在显著差异。黄眼突变体的眼黄素（ommochromes）含量更低，而白眼突变体的眼黄素（ommochromes）与蝶啶（pteridines）含量均显著降低。上述结果提示，突变基因分别参与两条互不冗余的独立代谢通路，这些通路可调控色氨酸代谢酶、色素转运颗粒或色素颗粒的形成过程。