Differential Expression of Genes

The fish in precisely, half of each eye! Figure 18.1 is keeping an eye out for predators above—or, more
Anableps anableps, commonly known as “cuatro
ojos” (“four eyes”), glides through freshwater lakes and ponds in Central and
South America with the upper half of each eye protruding from the water. The
eye’s upper half is particularly well-suited for aerial vision and the lower half for
aquatic vision. The molecular basis of this specialization has recently been revealed: The cells of the two
parts of the eye express a slightly different set of genes
involved in vision, even though these two groups of cells are quite similar and
contain identical genomes. What is the biological mechanism underlying the difference in gene
expression that makes this remarkable feat possible?