Molecular characterization of the pigeon P-opsin gene.

The chicken gene encoding pineal gland-specific opsin (P-opsin) has been previously characterized. We report here the orthologous pigeon (Columba livia) P-opsin gene. The deduced pigeon P-opsin lacks a potential N-glycosylation site in the N-terminus, but has multiple phosphorylation sites in the C-terminus, which are opposite from the characteristics of the chicken P-opsin.