An opsin gene expressed in only one photoreceptor cell type of the Drosophila eye

Abstract

We have isolated an opsin gene from D. melanogaster that is expressed specifically in photoreceptor cell 8 of the Drosophila compound eye. This opsin is 381 amino acid residues long and is 67% homologous to the ninaE opsin, which is expressed in photoreceptor cells 1-6. The gene is divided into four exons; only one of the intron positions is conserved with that of the ninaE gene. © 1986.