IUBio

"New" colours possible?

C.J.L. Wolf C.J.L.Wolf at ncl.ac.uk
Wed Oct 31 06:38:28 EST 2001


The genes that determine the spectral sensitivity of L and M - cones are
on the X - chromosome. Mutations in the genes can alter their spectral
sensitivity (most males who are 'colourblind' have both L and M cones, but
either the L or M pigment has mutated to more closely resemble the other,
impairing their colour vision). Women have 2 X-chromosomes, so can
potentially have up to 2 different versions of hte L-cone pigment, and 2
different versions of the M-cone pigment. Lyonisation - random
inactivation of one X-chromosome in each cell) means that women may
theoretically have up to 5 cone classes, each with a different spectral
sensitivity. i.e. L1 L2 M1 M2 S... Gabrielle Jordan and John Mollon
studied a tetrachromatic female, and showed that she could see colours
that no-one else could.

Someone else mentioned that insects might have colour vision - insects,
birds, salmonid fishes, lizards, snakes... generally have pretty good
colour vision. Often they're able to see UV or IR light... Try a search
for 'Jacobs' and 'colo*r'

On a more speculative note, is there such a colour as gold? Or are colours
defined by more than spectral reflectance. Try a benham top, and decide
whether the colours you see are qualitatively similar to 'normal' colours
or not...

KW


On Wed, 31 Oct 2001, Tris wrote:

> 
> "Urs Enke" <urs.enke at web.de> wrote in message
> news:9rn4t1$2nr$1 at nets3.rz.RWTH-Aachen.DE...
> > For some years now I've wondered
> > -- whether the (red-green-blue-mixable) colours we know are all there are
> in
> > this universe, and if not,
> > -- whether it might be possible to neurologically change the visual cortex
> > (or whatever necessary) to create the sensation of other colours, and
> > -- whether there has been any research suggesting that other animals are
> > actually seeing different colours than we do.
> >
> 
> There is a condition in women, IIRC, that allows some to see an 'extra'
> colour.  I can't remember what it's called - perhaps someone in a bio group
> can tell us!
> 
> 
> 




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