A Potential Benefit of Albinism in Astyanax Cavefish: Downregulation of the oca2 Gene Increases Tyrosine and Catecholamine Levels as an Alternative to Melanin Synthesis

Helena Bilandžija; Li Ma; Amy Parkhurst; William R. Jeffery

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080823

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Peer-reviewed

Research Article

A Potential Benefit of Albinism in Astyanax Cavefish: Downregulation of the oca2 Gene Increases Tyrosine and Catecholamine Levels as an Alternative to Melanin Synthesis

Helena Bilandžija ,

Contributed equally to this work with: Helena Bilandžija, Li Ma

Affiliations Department of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia, Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America
⨯
Li Ma ,

Contributed equally to this work with: Helena Bilandžija, Li Ma

Affiliation Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America
⨯
Amy Parkhurst,

Affiliation Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America
⨯
William R. Jeffery

* Email: Jeffery@umd.edu

Affiliation Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America
⨯

A Potential Benefit of Albinism in Astyanax Cavefish: Downregulation of the oca2 Gene Increases Tyrosine and Catecholamine Levels as an Alternative to Melanin Synthesis

Helena Bilandžija,
Li Ma,
Amy Parkhurst,
William R. Jeffery

Published: November 25, 2013
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0080823

About the Authors

Helena Bilandžija

Contributed equally to this work with: Helena Bilandžija, Li Ma

Affiliations Department of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia, Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America

Li Ma

Contributed equally to this work with: Helena Bilandžija, Li Ma

Affiliation Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America

Amy Parkhurst

Affiliation Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America

William R. Jeffery

* Email: Jeffery@umd.edu

Affiliation Department of Biology, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: HB LM WRJ. Performed the experiments: HB LM AP WRJ. Analyzed the data: HB WRJ. Wrote the manuscript: HB LM WRJ.

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Melanin
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Larvae
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Levodopa
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Melanophores
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Albinism
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Fish physiology
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Kidneys
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Embryos
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