INVESTIGADORES
LAGORIO MarÍa Gabriela
artículos
Título:
Multiple origins of green coloration in frogs mediated by a novel biliverdin-binding serpin
Autor/es:
TABOADA, CARLOS; BRUNETTI, ANDRÉS E.; LYRA, MARIANA L.; FITAK, ROBERT R.; FAIGÓN SOVERNA, ANA; RON, SANTIAGO R.; LAGORIO, MARÍA G.; HADDAD, CÉLIO F. B.; LOPES, NORBERTO P.; JOHNSEN, SÖNKE; FAIVOVICH, JULIÁN; CHEMES, LUCÍA B.; BARI, SARA E.
Revista:
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Editorial:
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
Referencias:
Año: 2020
ISSN:
0027-8424
Resumen:
Green coloration of vertebrates is normally attributed to pigmentsand structural components inside skin chromatophorescells. However, these components do not account for the vividblue-green colors of hundreds of species of frogs with sparsechromatophores. Our study shows that green coloration originatesin proteins of the serpin superfamily that bind the pigmentbiliverdin, modulating its absorbance properties. Using aSouth American treefrog, we demonstrated that these serpinshave a clear ecological role in modulating the reflectanceproperties and rendering animals cryptic in the foliage even inthe near-infrared portion of the spectrum. These findings openup exciting research perspectives both in biochemistry andevolution of serpins, as well as in the study of extracellularprotein-mediated coloration in vertebrates.