Phylogenetic Relationships among Short Wavelength-sensitive Opsins of American Chameleon (Anolis carolinensis) and Other Vertebrates

The vertebrate opsins have been classified into four major phylogenetic groups. One of them, a short wavelength-sensitive (SWS) opsin group, is further divided into two subgroups, SWS-I and SWS-II, having the wavelengths of maximal absorption of about 420 and 450 nm, respectively. Here we report the DNA sequences of the SWS-I and SWS-II genes from the lizard Anolis carolinensis. The shorter wavelengths of absorption by the two SWS subgroup opsins seem to be achieved by different sets of amino acid replacements in the transmembrane regions.