Retinal cryptochrome in a migratory passerine bird:: a possible transducer for the avian magnetic compass
Retinal cryptochrome in a migratory passerine bird:: a possible transducer for the avian magnetic compass
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DOI：
10.1007/s00114-004-0578-9
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发表时间：
2004-12-01
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Schierwater, B
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Möller, A;Sagasser, S;Schierwater, B
目前讨论的鸟类磁接受模型提出，磁场的方向是由专门的光感受器中的基对过程感知的，隐花色素被认为是介导磁罗盘信息的潜在候选分子。行为学研究表明，磁罗盘的定位发生在眼睛中，需要光谱中蓝绿色部分的光。已知隐色素在相同的光谱范围内吸收。因此，我们在欧洲知更鸟（Erithacus rubecula）和夜间迁徙的雀形目鸟类的视网膜中寻找隐色素（CRY）。在这里，我们报告了三个单独表达的隐色素，eCRY1a， eCRY1b和eCRY2。虽然eCRY1a和eCRY2与家鸡视网膜中的隐色素相似，但eCRY1b具有独特的羧基(C)末端。根据“基对”模型，我们的研究结果支持隐色素作为鸟类磁罗盘信息感知传感器的潜在作用。
The currently discussed model of magnetoreception in birds proposes that the direction of the magnetic field is perceived by radical-pair processes in specialized photoreceptors, with cryptochromes suggested as potential candidate molecules mediating magnetic compass information. Behavioral studies have shown that magnetic compass orientation takes place in the eye and requires light from the blue-green part of the spectrum. Cryptochromes are known to absorb in the same spectral range. Because of this we searched for cryptochrome (CRY) in the retina of European robins, Erithacus rubecula, passerine birds that migrate at night. Here, we report three individually expressed cryptochromes, eCRY1a, eCRY1b, and eCRY2. While eCRY1a and eCRY2 are similar to the cryptochromes found in the retina of the domestic chicken, eCRY1b has a unique carboxy (C)-terminal. In light of the 'radical-pair' model, our findings support a potential role of cryptochromes as transducers for the perception of magnetic compass information in birds.