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Nightlife to Avoid Dinosaurs: Evolution of Mammalian Pineal Gland

A condensed annotated bibliography of empirical research

in chronological order of date published

Matt London
9/1/2017

Introduction
The genesis and evolution of mammalian pineal gland from retinal photoreceptor to
pineal eye resulted from need for structure to resolve melatonin synthesis/retinoid conflict in
pineal eye. What lead to the divide between the structures is increased demand for melatonin in
mammals due to nonspecific activation of receptors to detect other compounds and to
synchronize all physiological functions as they evolved in nocturnal environments ("nocturnal
bottleneck"). Increased by-products from the conversion of serotonin to melatonin conflicted with
the photoreceptors retinaldehyde reactions causing disadvantageous fitness levels in keeping
these reactions in the same structure, selectively leading to a pineal gland.

Annotations
Collin J, Voisin P, Falon J, Faure J, Brissn P, Defaye J. 1989. Pineal transducers in
the course of evolution: Molecular organization, rhythmic metabolic activity and role.
Arch Histol Cytol 52(Suppl): 441-9.
Significant serotonin fluctuations in mammal pinealocytes, compared to reptile, during 24 hr.
L/D cycle reveals hormonal circadian oscillator involved in photoregulation of melatonin
biosynthesis is integral in mammal physiology and less so in reptiles. L/D information perceived
by mammalian retina is conveyed, via the retinohypothalamic projection, to circadian oscillator
of suprachiasmatic nuclei. Oscillator conveys information to pineal gland, stimulating melatonin
synthesis. Results support hypothesis that mammal circadian rhythm is not as primarily
dependent on light for circadian regulation as reptiles, lending support to evolution of mammal
pineal gland in nocturnal environments.

Falcon J, Coon SL, Besseau L, Cazamea-Catalan D, Fuentes M, Magnanou E, Paulin CH,

Boeuf G, Sauzet S, Jorgensen EH, et al. 2014. Drastic neofunctionalization associated
with evolution of the timezyme AANAT 500 mya. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 111(1):314-9.
Analysis with cDNA and alkylamine acetylation tests revealed that duplication of
non-vertebrate arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (NV-AANAT) gene, over 500 Mya (Cambrian
period), as result of functional shift from amine detoxification to melatonin synthesis, led to
emergence of vertebrate AANAT (VT-AANAT), lending impetus to mammalian evolution of
pineal gland from pineal eye. Results support hypothesis that VT-AANAT functioned to solve
melatonin/retinoid conflict in nocturnal bottleneck by preventing arylalylamine adduct formation
with photodetection molecules.

Kappers JA. 1967. The sensory innervation of the pineal organ in the lizard, lacerta viridis,
with remarks on its position in the trend of pineal phylogenetic structural and functional
evolution. Zeitschrift Fr Zellforschung Und Mikroskopische Anatomie 81(4):581-618.
Pineal eye of reptile exhibits photo-neurosensory cells and sensory nerve cells, whose axons
conduct stimuli perceived by primary sensory cells to the brain. Mammalian pineal gland does
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not exhibit neurosensory or sensory nerve cells, but is innervated by pinealopetal autonomic
nerve fibers. Histological examination and biochemical analysis of 14 adult Lacerta viridis brains
revealed that, in addition to photosensory functions, the pineal eye exhibits secretory functions,
as demonstrated by synthesis of serotonin. Results reveal stark input difference between reptile
and mammal pineal body, although less of a difference in function of pineal body itself,
supporting common ancestor and nocturnal bottleneck.

Menaker M, Moreira L, Tosini G. 1997. Evolution of circadian organization in vertebrates.

Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 30:305-13.
Evolutionarily development of the pineal gland is difficult to test so Menaker hypothesized
that the reduction of circadian photoreceptors is the byproduct of the nocturnal bottleneck. In
order for prehistoric mammals to survive there was selective pressure be become nocturnal, to
avoid dangerous reptiles. If photoreceptors were present it would confuse the mammal by
releasing melatonin to indicate night time whereas the more advance photoreceptors in their
retina would indicate daylight at dusk and dawn hours. Other accounts of
non-mammalian-nocturnal individuals that do not have a pineal eye to further illustrate a
selective pressure of nocturnal animals to not have circadian photoreceptors.

Conclusion
Early pineal research utilized histological techniques and rudimentary biochemical
techniques on small sample sizes (~20) to test hypotheses of mammal and reptile pineal body
differences primarily arising from differences in sensory input. Whereas modern studies
incorporated cDNA synthesis of ~1,000 bp to determine genetic patterns and infer integral past
genetic shifts, such as genetic duplication, that served to correct problems arising from toxic
by-products arising from melatonin/retinoid conflict in nocturnal bottleneck, wherein mammalian
pineal eye evolved to pineal gland to account for need to be active at night, when predatory
amniotes were least active.