What explains morphological divergence in human and fly eyes, despite conserved Pax6 sequence and function?

Morphological divergence in human and fly eyes, despite the conserved sequence and function of the Pax6 gene, can primarily be attributed to the influence of different regulatory genes. While Pax6 is essential for eye development across a wide range of species, the way it is expressed can vary significantly due to the presence of distinct regulatory elements that control gene expression.

In different organisms, specific regulatory genes can interact with Pax6 to produce varied eye structures and functions. For example, the enhancer regions flanking the Pax6 gene can lead to differential expression patterns in various tissues, which ultimately results in the development of unique eye morphologies that are adapted to the specific needs of the organism. This highlights the importance of gene regulation in evolution, where small changes in regulatory pathways can lead to significant morphological differences, even when the core developmental genes remain similar across species.

Thus, the focus on regulatory genes demonstrates how evolutionary mechanisms can drive diversity in form and function, allowing species to adapt to their environments while using conserved genetic tools like Pax6.