Invertebrate Rhodopsin Function

这个项目的总体目标是更好地了解昆虫和其他无脊椎动物的颜色视觉。昆虫使用颜色作为导航的重要线索，避开捕食者并识别食物来源。布里特博士将研究不同形式的视觉色素视紫红质是如何适应不同颜色的光的。以果蝇黑腹果蝇为模型系统，布里特博士的实验室将识别视紫红质蛋白中的特定氨基酸，这些氨基酸是导致颜色敏感度差异的原因，并在光被吸收时起到激活蛋白质的作用。果蝇利用具有独特颜色特性的视紫红质，这些视觉色素可以用成熟的分子生物学、遗传学和生理学方法进行研究。此外，这个实验系统提供了检查各种无脊椎动物视觉色素的机会，例如来自蝴蝶Papilio Glaucus的那些。布里特博士将在果蝇和蝴蝶之间进行比较实验，目的是找出这些动物如何区分不同颜色光的基本原理。布里特博士的工作可能最终会对光如何影响昆虫的行为提供重要的见解，从而为控制昆虫的行为提供一种手段。布里特博士也是少数族裔学生的积极导师，并让他们参与他的研究。

Award AbstractThe overall aim of this project is to better understand color vision in insects and other invertebrate animals. Insects use color as an important cue in navigation, avoiding predators and identifying food sources. Dr. Britt will study how different forms of the visual pigment rhodopsin are tuned to different colors of light. Using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system, Dr. Britt's laboratory will identify specific amino acids within the rhodopsin protein that are responsible for differences in color sensitivity and that play a role in activating the protein when light is absorbed. Drosophila melanogaster utilizes forms of rhodopsin that have unique color properties, and these visual pigments can be studied using well-developed molecular biological, genetic and physiological methods. In addition, this experimental system provides the opportunity to examine diverse invertebrate visual pigments, such as those from the butterfly Papilio glaucus. Dr Britt will conduct comparative experiments between fruit flies and butterflies with the aim of identifying fundamental principles underlying the similarities and differences in how these animals distinguish between different colors of light. Dr. Britt's work may ultimately provide important insight into how light influences insect behavior, and thus a means to manipulate insect behavior. Dr. Britt is also an active mentor for students of underrepresented minorities and involves them in his research.