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Cited by 26melanin and skin pigmentationDevelopmental Biology and Gene RegulationZebrafish Biomedical Research Applications

Evolution of the potassium channel gene Kcnj13 underlies colour pattern diversification in Danio fish

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Podobnik, Marco, Frohnhöfer, Hans Georg, Dooley, Christopher M., Eskova, Anastasia, Nüsslein-Volhard, Christiane, Irion, Uwe·2020·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-20021-6PMC PMC7718271

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Abstract

The genetic basis of morphological variation provides a major topic in evolutionary developmental biology. Fish of the genus Danio display colour patterns ranging from horizontal stripes, to vertical bars or spots. Stripe formation in zebrafish, Danio rerio , is a self-organizing process based on cell−contact mediated interactions between three types of chromatophores with a leading role of iridophores. Here we investigate genes known to regulate chromatophore interactions in zebrafish that might have evolved to produce a pattern of vertical bars in its sibling species, Danio aesculapii . Mutant D. aesculapii indicate a lower complexity in chromatophore interactions and a minor role of iridophores in patterning. Reciprocal hemizygosity tests identify the potassium channel gene obelix/Kcnj13 as evolved between the two species. Complementation tests suggest evolutionary change through divergence in Kcnj13 function in two additional Danio species. Thus, our results point towards repeated and independent evolution of this gene during colour pattern diversification.

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  • Wild-type hybrids between D. rerio and other Danio species generally display a pattern of horizontal stripes, similar to the D. rerio pattern, with stripe aberrations sometimes evident likely depending on genetic backgrounds of different species isolates.

    “Wild-type hybrids between D. rerio and other Danio species generally display a pattern of horizontal stripes6,9,46,47, similar to the D. rerio pattern, with stripe aberrations sometimes evident likely depending on !genetic backgrounds of different species isolates, as depicted here for D. tinwini and D. albolineatus hybrids (Fig. 5A).”

    From Genomic and genetic insights into speciation and pigment pattern diversification in <i>Danio</i> fishes (2025) · cites this paper as [9]

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  • Analysis of hybrids between Danio species suggests a repeated and independent evolution of vertical bars.

    “Analysis of hybrids between Danio species further suggests a repeated and independent evolution of vertical bars9.”

    From Genomic and genetic insights into speciation and pigment pattern diversification in <i>Danio</i> fishes (2025) · cites this paper as [9]

  • The igsf11, gja4 and gja5b genes are essential for pigment patterning in D. aesculapii as in zebrafish but do not contribute to the patterning differences between these species.

    “The igsf11, gja4 and gja5b genes are essential for pigment patterning in D. aesculapii as in zebrafish but do not contribute to the patterning differences between these species9.”

    From Genomic and genetic insights into speciation and pigment pattern diversification in <i>Danio</i> fishes (2025) · cites this paper as [9]

  • kcnj13 has functionally diverged so as to promote the formation of stripes in zebrafish but bars in D. aesculapii.

    “This gene has functionally diverged so as to promote the formation of stripes in zebrafish but bars in D. aesculapii9.”

    From Genomic and genetic insights into speciation and pigment pattern diversification in <i>Danio</i> fishes (2025) · cites this paper as [9]

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Authors
Podobnik, M., Frohnhöfer, H. G., Dooley, C. M., Eskova, A., Nüsslein-Volhard, C., & Irion, U.
Affiliations
  • Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology (DE)
  • Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research (DE)
  • IBM (Germany) (DE)
Corresponding author
Irion, Uwe
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2020-12-04
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
6230-6230
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-020-20021-6
PMC
PMC7718271
OpenAlex
W3107543277
Cited by
26
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5
FWCI
1.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
correction (2021-05-20)
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
  • H2020 European Research Council (694289)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
Keywords
KCNJ13, Obelix, potassium channels, zebrafish, iridophores, stripe formation, pattern formation, gene evolution, complementation, morphological evolution
MeSH terms
Animals, Chromatophores, Color, Hybridization, Genetic, Phenotype, Pigmentation, Species Specificity, Zebrafish, Evolution, Molecular, Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying, Zebrafish Proteins

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