Project description
Exploring whether deep-sea fish can see colours
Deep-sea fish possess remarkable adaptations, including unique sensory systems. Some have developed exceptional vision to perceive colours in the darkness of the deep waters. Unlike other vertebrates, many lack cones, rendering them colour-blind. However, their novel visual system, based on multiple rod opsins, may enable them to perceive colours. In this context, the ERC-funded SensingDEEP project explores whether deep-sea fish are capable of colour vision. By studying single rod/cone cells in species with multiple rhodopsin visual systems, the project aims to determine their ability to differentiate between colours or perceive the entire light spectrum. SensingDEEP will use genomic tools to explore the boundaries of vertebrate vision through deep-sea fish with extraordinary adaptations.
Objective
Deep-sea fishes are known for extraordinary adaptations including enhanced sensory systems. They have eyes often modified in shape, anatomy or at the molecular level. Fascinatingly, some deep-sea fishes have evolved unique vision to potentially see colours. Here I propose to study functional evolution of this visual system, and to target the crucial question – can deep-sea fish see in colours? To perceive light, vertebrate retina has two types of photoreceptor cells, the rods for dim-light vision and cones for daylight colour vision. Many deep-sea fish lack cones, which makes them colour blind. The novel visual system based purely on multiple different rod opsins possibly overcomes this limit, and it is not found in any other vertebrate. In SensingDEEP I aim to “zoom” into the level of single rod/cone cells to understand deep-sea molecular adaptations of vision. I will target species with 1) the novel multiple-rhodopsin visual system and test if it has a potential to serve for colour discrimination. With multiple rhodopsins expressed in the retina, single-cell transcriptomics will either reveal rod cells sensitive to different colours, or alternatively, “superpowerful” rods sensing along the entire light spectrum. Both options would be unique among vertebrates. Further I aim to focus on the deep-sea species with 2) challenged rod and cone cell identity with mismatch of molecular machinery of both (rod and cone) types. Lastly, I will also test 3) how rare these extreme adaptations are in deep-sea fish diversity using the high-quality whole-genome sequencing. In the species with multiple rhodopsins, I will specifically focus on their genomic architecture and gene regulation by applying single-cell multiomics. SensingDEEP combines modern genomic tools with rare and unique samples. Given that vertebrate eye is a conserved structure, the deep-sea fish with extreme adaptations will, therefore, serve as a model to explore (and push) the limits of vertebrate vision.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine anatomy and morphology
- engineering and technology materials engineering colors
- social sciences sociology social issues social inequalities
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine ophthalmology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
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116 36 Praha 1
Czechia
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