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First published online May 21, 2007
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 1847-1857 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.002717

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Molecular and cellular studies in evolutionary physiology of natural vertebrate populations: influences of individual variation and genetic components on sampling and measurements

Mikko Nikinmaa^* and Wolfgang Waser

Centre of Excellence in Evolutionary Genetics and Physiology, Department of Biology, FI-20014 Turku, Finland

View larger version (35K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 1. The same response of an integrative function, consisting of several components (polygenic), to an environmental change can be obtained, even if the different components (genes) respond to the challenge differently.

View larger version (18K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Environmental effects on the genotype can be of genetic origin. If environment affects the level and consequent binding of a transcription factor (TF) to the gene regulatory sequence (GRS), for example, then different phenotypes are observed depending on the environmentally induced differences in the induction of the gene. If the structure of the gene regulatory sequence changes, binding of the transcription factor can be affected, leading to changes in gene expression and consequent changes in the phenotype.

View larger version (22K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 3. If the mRNA levels of different individuals respond differently to an environmental change (as given in the figure by different hues of red and green), and the number of analyses from different individuals is not adequate, then a response that is not clearly seen in virtually all individuals may remain undetected,.

View larger version (10K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 4. Increases in mRNA or protein levels do not necessarily indicate increased protein activity. To be certain of a change in the activity of the protein, it must be measured directly under conditions similar to those in the organism.

View larger version (6K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 5. Variation in the normoxic level of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF) in crucian carp Carassius carassius. Data from Rissanen et al. (Rissanen et al., 2006). It is likely that the three bands in the gel are HIFs with different levels of phosphorylation. While some of the individual variation can be explained by variations in fish mass, most variation remains unexplained.

View larger version (10K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 6. (A) Selected oxygen profiles measured in the retina of rainbow trout. Positions of electrode tip (x-axis) range from vitreous humor (negative values) to inner surface of retina (0 µm) to the outer limit of the retina (approx. 450 µm). Lowest PO2 values were generally measured at the inner surface of the retina, while highest PO2 were associated with the outer limit of the retina. Duplicate lines in each profile result from insertion and withdrawal of the measuring electrode (cf. Waser and Heisler, 2005). (B) Mean and standard deviation of maximum intraretinal PO2 (N=20). Since almost identical values (mean, s.d., N) are given by Desrochers et al. (Desrochers et al., 1985), it is unlikely that the applied methods are the sole cause of the variation.