CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF THE RED VISUAL PIGMENT GENE OF GOAT (CAPRA-HIRCUS)

We have cloned and sequenced the red opsin gene, r(Ch), of goat (Capra hircus). When r(Ch), is expressed in cultured cells and reconstituted with Il-cis retinal, the resulting visual pigment has a wavelength of maximal absorption (lambda max) of 553 nm. This result and the deduce d aa sequence of the goat red opsin suggest that the lambda max values of the red pigments of goat and human are based mainly on Y277 and T2 85. The slightly lower lambda max value of the red pigment in goat tha n in human (similar to 560 nm) can be explained by a single aa differe nce between the goat (A180) and human (S180) red pigments. (C) 1997 El sevier Science B.V.