Environmental plasticity in opsin expression due to light and thyroid hormone in adult and developing Astatotilapia burtoni

Cichlid fishes show remarkable variation in visual sensitivities through differential expression of seven cone opsin genes. Many species undergo spectral sensitivity shifts from shorter to longer wavelengths as they develop from larvae to adults. However, while some species retain larval-like short wavelength sensitivities, others show adult-like longer wavelength sensitivities throughout life. The riverine cichlid, Astatotilapia burtoni, shows a single cone progression from ultraviolet to violet to blue sensitivity, while their long wavelength double cones maintain green and red sensitivities throughout life. To identify mechanisms that regulate these sensitivities, we asked whether thyroid hormone (TH) or light environment can drive shifts. We find that developmental treatment with TH can speed shifts to longer wavelength sensitivity, but only in single cones. TH inhibition can short wavelength shift adult opsin expression. Exposure to light regimes containing UV wavelengths induce short wavelength shifts in single cones early in development. None of the treatments produces double cone shifts or significant expression of the shortest wavelength double cone opsin, rh2b, although we detect no cis -regulatory variation. This suggests that while single cones show both TH and light plasticity, A. burtoni double cones have lost this plasticity, perhaps through changes in trans- acting opsin regulation.