ArticlePLoS genetics2009
A novel role for Mc1r in the parallel evolution of depigmentation in independent populations of the cavefish Astyanax mexicanus.
Article in PLoS genetics, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 128 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
128 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 303 citations in OpenAlex.
- The probability of genetic parallelism and convergence in natural populations.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2012Pooled it
- Exploring Astyanax mexicanus as a model for unraveling genotype-environment interactions and metabolic adaptations.Lab animal · 2026Review
- Article
- A pangenome framework uncovers the role of deletions in repeated evolution of cave-derived traits.Genome research · 2026Article
- Gene cloning and expression analysis based on primary culture of fin cells from Centropyge vrolikii.Journal of fish biology · 2026Article
- Parallel adaptation to geothermally-warmed habitats due to common structural variation and functional developmental pathways.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Novel mechanisms of chemosensory adaptation to the cave environment.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Cave evolution on repeat: reuse of the same genomic regions across lineages but not across traits inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Water Parameters and Hydrodynamics in Rivers and Caves HostingEcology and evolution · 2026Article
- Article
- Avenues of genome editing for color trait improvement in ornamental fishes: current status and future perspectives.Transgenic research · 2025Review
- A Splicing Mutation in mitfa is Involved in the Depigmentation of Cavefish Triplophysa rosa.Molecular biology and evolution · 2025Article
- Quantitative trait loci concentrate in specific regions of the Mexican cavefish genome and reveal key candidate genes for cave-associated evolution.The Journal of heredity · 2025Article
- Population Genomics of Premature Termination Codons in Cavefish With Substantial Trait Loss.Molecular biology and evolution · 2025Article
- Ancient developmental genes underlie evolutionary novelties in walking fish.Current biology : CB · 2024Article
- Sensing in the dark: Constructive evolution of the lateral line system in blind populations ofEcology and evolution · 2024Review
- Loci associated with cave-derived traits concentrate in specific regions of the Mexican cavefish genome.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024Article
- Convergent genomic signatures associated with vertebrate viviparity.BMC biology · 2024Article
- Article
- From darkness to discovery: evolutionary, adaptive, and translational genetic insights from cavefish.Trends in genetics : TIG · 2024Review
68 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The evolution of degenerate characteristics remains a poorly understood phenomenon. Only recently has the identification of mutations underlying regressive phenotypes become accessible through the use of genetic analyses. Focusing on the Mexican cave tetra Astyanax mexicanus, we describe, here, an analysis of the brown mutation, which was first described in the literature nearly 40 years ago. This phenotype causes reduced melanin content, decreased melanophore number, and brownish eyes in convergent cave forms of A. mexicanus. Crosses demonstrate non-complementation of the brown phenotype in F(2) individuals derived from two independent cave populations: Pachón and the linked Yerbaniz and Japonés caves, indicating the same locus is responsible for reduced pigmentation in these fish. While the brown mutant phenotype arose prior to the fixation of albinism in Pachón cave individuals, it is unclear whether the brown mutation arose before or after the fixation of albinism in the linked Yerbaniz/Japonés caves. Using a QTL approach combined with sequence and functional analyses, we have discovered that two distinct genetic alterations in the coding sequence of the gene Mc1r cause reduced pigmentation associated with the brown mutant phenotype in these caves. Our analysis identifies a novel role for Mc1r in the evolution of degenerative phenotypes in blind Mexican cavefish. Further, the brown phenotype has arisen independently in geographically separate caves, mediated through different mutations of the same gene. This example of parallelism indicates that certain genes are frequent targets of mutation in the repeated evolution of regressive phenotypes in cave-adapted species.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.