Skip to main content
Toggle User Menu

HHMI BioInteractive

  • Español
  • Search
  • Log In/Create Account
  • Classroom Resources
  • Planning Tools
  • Professional Development
  • About Us

Regulatory Switches in Stickleback Fish

Topic
  • Genetics
  • Gene Expression & Regulation
Resource Type
  • Videos
  • Animations
Level
High School — AP/IBCollege
Duration
00:00:55
Favorited By
3 Users
Share This
Description

This animation shows how changes in the regulatory switch regions of the Pitx1 gene lead to morphological differences in stickleback fish.

During development, stickleback fish express Pitx1 in different parts of the body, including the pelvis. Most marine stickleback fish have a pelvis with a protective spine, but stickleback fish from certain freshwater populations have a missing or reduced pelvis. As shown in the animation, Pitx1 is activated in the pelvic region during development in marine fish. In fish with a missing or reduced pelvis, however, the regulatory switch that activates Pitx1 expression in the pelvic region is either missing or nonfunctional.

This animation is a clip from a 2005 Holiday Lecture Series, Evolution: Constant Change and Common Threads. Depending on students’ background, it may be helpful to pause the animation at various points to discuss different features.

Details
Key Terms

body morphology, development, genetic switch, mutation, pelvic fin, pelvis, pituitary homeobox transcription factor 1 (Pitx1)

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Version History
Date Published 02.04.05
Materials
Large (MOV) 2 MB
Large (WMV) 2 MB
Small (MOV) 1 MB
Small (WMV) 1 MB
Transcript (PDF) 11 KB

Explore Related Content

Other Resources About Stickleback Fish
Showing of
Data Points
Schooling Behavior of Stickleback Fish from Different Habitats
Screen shot of the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for Evolving Switches, Evolving Bodies
Data Points
Pelvic Evolution in Sticklebacks
Virtual Labs
Stickleback Evolution Virtual Lab
Click & Learn
Genetic Switches
Film Activities
Activity for Evolving Switches, Evolving Bodies
Labs & Demos
Modeling the Regulatory Switches of the Pitx1 Gene in Stickleback Fish
Card Activities
Using Genetic Crosses to Analyze a Stickleback Trait
Short Films
The Making of the Fittest: Evolving Switches, Evolving Bodies
Clips
Stickleback Fish Environment
Other Related Resources
Showing of
Animations
Regulatory Switches in Drosophila
Click & Learn
Genetic Switches
Lessons
Zebrafish and Skin Color
Animations
Role of p53 in Transcription
Animations
RNA Splicing
Click & Learn
Regulation of the Lactase Gene
Click & Learn
Visualizing Gene-Expression Patterns
Animations
Seeing Single Molecules Move
Animations
Regulation of Eukaryotic DNA Transcription
Animations
The Mammalian Biological Clock

HHMI BioInteractive

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Newsletter Signup
  • HHMI.org
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy