U.S.-Chile Cooperative Research: Light-Activated Ion Channels in Visual Receptors

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9301719 O'Day This U.S.-Chile award will support Dr. Peter O'Day, of the University of Oregon, Eugene, in a research collaboration with Dr. Juan Bacigalupo, of the University of Chile. The researchers will investigate the gating of light-activated channels in Drosophila photoreceptors and test the concept that there is more than one biochemical pathway involved in transduction. The mechanism by which light is transduced to an electrical signal is still unclear. The overall goal of the research is to enhance our understanding of visual transduction in Drosophila photoreceptors and the activation and modulation of transduction pathways. Because of its similarities to other biological systems, and because it can be genetically manipulated as well as electro- physiologically studied, the use of Drosophila as a model system will provide important clues to similar issues in cellular signalling in general. ***