Meeting Abstract

P1-31   -   A protein that facilitates carotenoid uptake into avian feathers and retinas Smith, DJ*; Corbo, JC; Carneiro, M; Toomey, MB; University of Tulsa; Washington University in St. Louis ; CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão,Portugal; University of Tulsa djs4679@utulsa.edu

Carotenoids pigment the brilliantly colored feathers of birds and play an essential role in tuning the spectral sensitivities of the bird eye. There is growing evidence that these traits share mechanisms of carotenoid uptake and metabolism. Here, we investigated the wild-type parrot finch (Erythrura psittacea) which has striking ketocarotenoid-based red throat and rump plumage and compared it to a parrot finch mutant that has yellow feathers and markedly reduced levels of ketocarotenoid pigments in both feathers and retinas. We used whole-genome resequencing to define the genetic basis of the yellow phenotype. We found that these birds have a mutation in a member of the Tetratricopeptide repeat protein gene family. We will present our functional analysis of this protein; discuss its role in carotenoid uptake, and mechanistic links between these traits.