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Zhang L, Malkemper EP. Cryptochromes in mammals: a magnetoreception misconception? Front Physiol 2023; 14:1250798. [PMID: 37670767 PMCID: PMC10475740 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1250798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes are flavoproteins related to photolyases that are widespread throughout the plant and animal kingdom. They govern blue light-dependent growth in plants, control circadian rhythms in a light-dependent manner in invertebrates, and play a central part in the circadian clock in vertebrates. In addition, cryptochromes might function as receptors that allow animals to sense the Earth's magnetic field. As cryptochromes are also present in mammals including humans, the possibility of a magnetosensitive protein is exciting. Here we attempt to provide a concise overview of cryptochromes in mammals. We briefly review their canonical role in the circadian rhythm from the molecular level to physiology, behaviour and diseases. We then discuss their disputed light sensitivity and proposed role in the magnetic sense in mammals, providing three mechanistic hypotheses. Specifically, mammalian cryptochromes could form light-induced radical pairs in particular cellular milieus, act as magnetoreceptors in darkness, or as secondary players in a magnetoreception signalling cascade. Future research can test these hypotheses to investigate if the role of mammalian cryptochromes extends beyond the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - E. Pascal Malkemper
- Max Planck Research Group Neurobiology of Magnetoreception, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior—caesar, Bonn, Germany
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2
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Yee C, Görtemaker K, Wellpott R, Koch KW. Kinetics of cone specific G-protein signaling in avian photoreceptor cells. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1107025. [PMID: 36733826 PMCID: PMC9887155 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1107025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cone photoreceptor cells of night-migratory songbirds seem to process the primary steps of two different senses, vision and magnetoreception. The molecular basis of phototransduction is a prototypical G protein-coupled receptor pathway starting with the photoexcitation of rhodopsin or cone opsin thereby activating a heterotrimeric G protein named transducin. This interaction is well understood in vertebrate rod cells, but parameter describing protein-protein interactions of cone specific proteins are rare and not available for migratory birds. European robin is a model organism for studying the orientation of birds in the earth magnetic field. Recent findings showed a link between the putative magnetoreceptor cryptochrome 4a and the cone specific G-protein of European robin. In the present work, we investigated the interaction of European robin cone specific G protein and cytoplasmic regions of long wavelength opsin. We identified the second loop in opsin connecting transmembrane regions three and four as a critical binding interface. Surface plasmon resonance studies using a synthetic peptide representing the second cytoplasmic loop and purified G protein α-subunit showed a high affinity interaction with a K D value of 21 nM. Truncation of the G protein α-subunit at the C-terminus by six amino acids slightly decreased the affinity. Our results suggest that binding of the G protein to cryptochrome can compete with the interaction of G protein and non-photoexcited long wavelength opsin. Thus, the parallel presence of two different sensory pathways in bird cone photoreceptors is reasonable under dark-adapted conditions or during illumination with short wavelengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Yee
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Neuroscience, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Görtemaker
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Neuroscience, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Rieke Wellpott
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Neuroscience, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Karl-Wilhelm Koch
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Neuroscience, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany,Research Center Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany,*Correspondence: Karl-Wilhelm Koch, ✉
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3
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Levitt BB, Lai HC, Manville AM. Effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields on flora and fauna, Part 2 impacts: how species interact with natural and man-made EMF. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2022; 37:327-406. [PMID: 34243228 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2021-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ambient levels of nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) have risen sharply in the last five decades to become a ubiquitous, continuous, biologically active environmental pollutant, even in rural and remote areas. Many species of flora and fauna, because of unique physiologies and habitats, are sensitive to exogenous EMF in ways that surpass human reactivity. This can lead to complex endogenous reactions that are highly variable, largely unseen, and a possible contributing factor in species extinctions, sometimes localized. Non-human magnetoreception mechanisms are explored. Numerous studies across all frequencies and taxa indicate that current low-level anthropogenic EMF can have myriad adverse and synergistic effects, including on orientation and migration, food finding, reproduction, mating, nest and den building, territorial maintenance and defense, and on vitality, longevity and survivorship itself. Effects have been observed in mammals such as bats, cervids, cetaceans, and pinnipeds among others, and on birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, microbes and many species of flora. Cyto- and geno-toxic effects have long been observed in laboratory research on animal models that can be extrapolated to wildlife. Unusual multi-system mechanisms can come into play with non-human species - including in aquatic environments - that rely on the Earth's natural geomagnetic fields for critical life-sustaining information. Part 2 of this 3-part series includes four online supplement tables of effects seen in animals from both ELF and RFR at vanishingly low intensities. Taken as a whole, this indicates enough information to raise concerns about ambient exposures to nonionizing radiation at ecosystem levels. Wildlife loss is often unseen and undocumented until tipping points are reached. It is time to recognize ambient EMF as a novel form of pollution and develop rules at regulatory agencies that designate air as 'habitat' so EMF can be regulated like other pollutants. Long-term chronic low-level EMF exposure standards, which do not now exist, should be set accordingly for wildlife, and environmental laws should be strictly enforced - a subject explored in Part 3.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henry C Lai
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Albert M Manville
- Advanced Academic Programs, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Policy, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC Campus, USA
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4
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Morphology, biochemistry and connectivity of Cluster N and the hippocampal formation in a migratory bird. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2731-2749. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02566-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe exceptional navigational capabilities of migrating birds are based on the perception and integration of a variety of natural orientation cues. The “Wulst” in the forebrain of night-migratory songbirds contains a brain area named “Cluster N”, which is involved in processing directional navigational information derived from the Earth´s magnetic field. Cluster N is medially joined by the hippocampal formation, known to retrieve and utilise navigational information. To investigate the connectivity and neurochemical characteristics of Cluster N and the hippocampal formation of migratory birds, we performed morphological and histochemical analyses based on the expression of calbindin, calretinin, parvalbumin, glutamate receptor type 1 and early growth response protein-1 in the night-migratory Garden warbler (Sylvia borin) and mapped their mutual connections using neuronal tract tracing. The resulting expression patterns revealed regionally restricted neurochemical features, which mapped well onto the hippocampal and hyperpallial substructures known from other avian species. Magnetic field-induced neuronal activation covered caudal parts of the hyperpallium and the medially adjacent hippocampal dorsomedial/dorsolateral subdivisions. Neuronal tract tracings revealed connections between Cluster N and the hippocampal formation with the vast majority originating from the densocellular hyperpallium, either directly or indirectly via the area corticoidea dorsolateralis. Our data indicate that the densocellular hyperpallium could represent a central relay for the transmission of magnetic compass information to the hippocampal formation where it might be integrated with other navigational cues in night-migratory songbirds.
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Pinzon-Rodriguez A, Muheim R. Cryptochrome expression in avian UV cones: revisiting the role of CRY1 as magnetoreceptor. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12683. [PMID: 34135416 PMCID: PMC8209128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92056-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRY) have been proposed as putative magnetoreceptors in vertebrates. Localisation of CRY1 in the UV cones in the retinas of birds suggested that it could be the candidate magnetoreceptor. However, recent findings argue against this possibility. CRY1 is a type II cryptochrome, a subtype of cryptochromes that may not be inherently photosensitive, and it exhibits a clear circadian expression in the retinas of birds. Here, we reassessed the localisation and distribution of CRY1 in the retina of the zebra finch. Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass based on a radical-pair mechanism, similar to migratory birds. We found that CRY1 colocalised with the UV/V opsin (SWS1) in the outer segments of UV cones, but restricted to the tip of the segments. CRY1 was found in all UV cones across the entire retina, with the highest densities near the fovea. Pre-exposure of birds to different wavelengths of light did not result in any difference in CRY1 detection, suggesting that CRY1 did not undergo any detectable functional changes as result of light activation. Considering that CRY1 is likely not involved in magnetoreception, our findings open the possibility for an involvement in different, yet undetermined functions in the avian UV/V cones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atticus Pinzon-Rodriguez
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Rachel Muheim
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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Karki N, Vergish S, Zoltowski BD. Cryptochromes: Photochemical and structural insight into magnetoreception. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1521-1534. [PMID: 33993574 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) function as blue light photoreceptors in diverse physiological processes in nearly all kingdoms of life. Over the past several decades, they have emerged as the most likely candidates for light-dependent magnetoreception in animals, however, a long history of conflicts between in vitro photochemistry and in vivo behavioral data complicate validation of CRYs as a magnetosensor. In this review, we highlight the origins of conflicts regarding CRY photochemistry and signal transduction, and identify recent data that provides clarity on potential mechanisms of signal transduction in magnetoreception. The review primarily focuses on examining differences in photochemistry and signal transduction in plant and animal CRYs, and identifies potential modes of convergent evolution within these independent lineages that may identify conserved signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nischal Karki
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Satyam Vergish
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Brian D Zoltowski
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Mahe YF, Cheniti A, Tacheau C, Antonelli R, Planard-Luong L, de Bernard S, Buffat L, Barbarat P, Kanoun-Copy L. Low-Level Light Therapy Downregulates Scalp Inflammatory Biomarkers in Men With Androgenetic Alopecia and Boosts Minoxidil 2% to Bring a Sustainable Hair Regrowth Activity. Lasers Surg Med 2021; 53:1208-1219. [PMID: 33973663 PMCID: PMC9292036 DOI: 10.1002/lsm.23398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Low-level light therapies using visible to infrared light are known to activate several cellular functions, such as adenosine triphosphate and nitric oxide synthesis. However, few clinical observations report its biological consequences for skin and scalp homeostasis. Since scalp inflammation was recognized as a potential physiological obstacle to the efficacy of the reference hair regrowth drug Minoxidil in vivo and since perifollicular inflammation is the hallmark of about 50%-70% follicular units in androgenetic alopecia, we decided to investigate whether the anti-inflammatory activity of LLLT/GentleWaves® device were assigned to L'Oréal by Light BioScience L.L.C., Virginia Beach, VA (US) could enhance hair regrowth activity of Minoxidil. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a first experimental clinical study on 64 men with androgenetic alopecia using LLLT/GentleWaves®, 590-nm predominant wavelength 70 seconds, specifically pulsed once per day, for 3 days, and we performed a whole-genome analysis of treated scalp biopsies. In a second clinical study, including 135 alopecic volunteers, we evaluated the hair regrowth activity in response to the upgraded LLLT/GentleWaves® device and Minoxidil. RESULTS In the first clinical study, whole-genome analysis of treated scalp biopsies showed downregulation of scalp inflammatory biomarkers, such as AP1/FOSB messenger RNA (mRNA) and mir21, together with the disappearance of CD69 mRNA, specific to scalp-infiltrating T cells of about 50% of the studied volunteers prior to the LLLT/GentleWaves® treatment. In the second clinical study, we observed that LLLT/GentleWaves® was able to boost the hair regrowth activity of a Minoxidil 2% lotion to the extent of the highest concentration (5%) in terms of efficacy, number of responders, and perceived performance. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, these observations suggest the potential benefit of LLLT/GentleWaves® as a noninvasive adjunctive technology for skin and scalp conditions, where a mild perifollicular inflammation is involved. Lasers Surg. Med. 2021. Copyright © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann F Mahe
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, Aulnay-sous-Bois, 93600, France
| | - Ahsène Cheniti
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, Aulnay-sous-Bois, 93600, France
| | - Charlotte Tacheau
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, Aulnay-sous-Bois, 93600, France
| | - Rosaria Antonelli
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 188, rue Paul Hochart, Chevilly Larue, 94550, France
| | - Lien Planard-Luong
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 188, rue Paul Hochart, Chevilly Larue, 94550, France
| | | | - Laurent Buffat
- ALTRABIO, Bât. l'Initial 30 rue Pré-Gaudry, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Philippe Barbarat
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 1, avenue Eugène Schueller, Aulnay-sous-Bois, 93600, France
| | - Leila Kanoun-Copy
- L'OREAL Research and Innovation, 188, rue Paul Hochart, Chevilly Larue, 94550, France
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Abstract
Species throughout the animal kingdom use the Earth's magnetic field (MF) to navigate using either or both of two mechanisms. The first relies on magnetite crystals in tissue where their magnetic moments align with the MF to transduce a signal transmitted to the central nervous system. The second and the subject of this paper involves cryptochrome (CRY) proteins located in cone photoreceptors distributed across the retina, studied most extensively in birds. According to the "Radical Pair Mechanism" (RPM), blue/UV light excites CRY's flavin cofactor (FAD) to generate radical pairs whose singlet-to-triplet interconversion rate is modulated by an external MF. The signaling product of the RPM produces an impression of the field across the retinal surface. In birds, the resulting signal on the optic nerve is transmitted along the thalamofugal pathway to the primary visual cortex, which projects to brain regions concerned with image processing, memory, and executive function. The net result is a bird's orientation to the MF's inclination: its vector angle relative to the Earth's surface. The quality of ambient light (e.g., polarization) provides additional input to the compass. In birds, the Type IV CRY isoform appears pivotal to the compass, given its positioning within retinal cones; a cytosolic location therein indicating no role in the circadian clock; relatively steady diurnal levels (unlike Type II CRY's cycling); and a full complement of FAD (essential for photosensitivity). The evidence indicates that mammalian Type II CRY isoforms play a light-independent role in the cellular molecular clock without a photoreceptive function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Brain
- Environmental Physiology, Molecular, and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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Thöni V, Oliva R, Mauracher D, Egg M. Therapeutic Nuclear Magnetic Resonance affects the core clock mechanism and associated Hypoxia-inducible factor-1. Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:1120-1134. [PMID: 33847185 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1910288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The influence of low intensity electromagnetic fields on circadian clocks of cells and tissues has gained increasing scientific interest, either as a therapeutic tool or as a potential environmental hazard. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) refers to the property of certain atomic nuclei to absorb the energy of radio waves under a corresponding magnetic field. NMR forms the basis for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and, in a low-intensity form, for NMR therapy (tNMR). Since the circadian clock is bi-directionally intertwined with hypoxic signaling in vertebrates and mammals, we hypothesized that low intensity electromagnetic fields, such as tNMR, might not only affect circadian clocks but also Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α). As master regulator of the hypoxic signaling pathway, HIF-1α is known to dampen the circadian amplitude under reduced oxygen availability, while the hypoxic response of cells and organisms, itself, is tightly clock controlled. In a first experiment, we investigated if tNMR is able to act as Zeitgeber for the core clock mechanism of unsynchronized zebrafish and mouse fibroblast cells, using direct light irradiation and treatment with the glucocorticoid Dexamethasone as references. tNMR significantly affected the cell autonomous clocks of unsynchronized mouse fibroblast cells NIH3-T3, but did not act as a Zeitgeber. Similar to light irradiation and in contrast to treatment with Dexamethasone, tNMR did not synchronize expression profiles of murine clock genes. However, irradiation with tNMR as well as light significantly altered mRNA and protein expression levels of Cryptochrome1, Cryptochrome2 and Clock1 for more than 24 h. Changes in mRNA and protein after different treatment durations, namely 6 and 12 h, appeared to be nonlinear. A nonlinear dose-response relationship is known as hallmark of electromagnetic field induced effects on biological systems. The most prominent alterations were detected in murine HIF-1α protein, again in a nonlinear dose-response. In contrast to murine cells, zebrafish fibroblasts did not respond to tNMR at all. Light, a potent Zeitgeber for the peripheral clocks of fish, led to the expected synchronized clock gene oscillations of high amplitude, as did Dexamethasone. Hence, we conclude, mammalian peripheral clocks are more susceptible to tNMR than the direct light entrainable fish fibroblasts. Although light and tNMR did not act as Zeitgebers for the circadian clocks of unsynchronized murine cells, the significant observed effects might indicate downstream cell-physiological ramifications, which are worth future investigation. However, beside the effects tNMR exerts on the core clock mechanism of mammalian cells, the technology might be the first non-pharmacological approach to modify HIF-1α protein in cells and tissues. HIF-1α and the associated circadian clock play key roles in diseases with underlying ischemic background, such as infarct, stroke, and cancer and, also infectious diseases, such as Covid-19. Hence, low intensity magnetic fields such as tNMR might be of significant medical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoria Thöni
- Institute of Zoology, University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Regina Oliva
- Institute of Zoology, University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David Mauracher
- Institute of Zoology, University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Margit Egg
- Institute of Zoology, University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Brain-to-brain communication: the possible role of brain electromagnetic fields (As a Potential Hypothesis). Heliyon 2021; 7:e06363. [PMID: 33732922 PMCID: PMC7937662 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Up now, the communication between brains of different humans or animals has been confirmed and confined by the sensory medium and motor facilities of body. Recently, direct brain-to-brain communication (DBBC) outside the conventional five senses has been verified between animals and humans. Nevertheless, no empirical studies or serious discussion have been performed to elucidate the mechanism behind this process. The validation of DBBC has been documented via recording similar pattern of action potentials occurring in the brain cortex of two animals. With regard to action potentials in brain neurons, the magnetic field resulting from the action potentials created in neurons is one of the tools where the brain of one animal can affect the brain of another. It has been shown that different animals, even humans, have the power to understand the magnetic field. Cryptochrome, which exists in the retina and in different regions of the brain, has been confirmed to be able to perceive magnetic fields and convert magnetic fields to action potentials. Recently, iron particles (Fe3O4) believed to be functioning as magnets have been found in various parts of the brain, and are postulated as magnetic field receptors. Newly developed supersensitive magnetic sensors made of iron magnets that can sense the brain's magnetic field have suggested the idea that these Fe3O4 particles or magnets may be capable of perceiving the brain's extremely weak magnetic field. The present study suggests that it is possible the extremely week magnetic field in one animal's brain to transmit vital and accurate information to another animal's brain.
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Adámková J, Benediktová K, Svoboda J, Bartoš L, Vynikalová L, Nováková P, Hart V, Painter MS, Burda H. Turning preference in dogs: North attracts while south repels. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245940. [PMID: 33507979 PMCID: PMC7842976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It was shown earlier that dogs, when selecting between two dishes with snacks placed in front of them, left and right, prefer to turn either clockwise or counterclockwise or randomly in either direction. This preference (or non-preference) is individually consistent in all trials but it is biased in favor of north if they choose between dishes positioned north and east or north and west, a phenomenon denoted as "pull of the north". Here, we replicated these experiments indoors, in magnetic coils, under natural magnetic field and under magnetic field shifted 90° clockwise. We demonstrate that "pull of the north" was present also in an environment without any outdoor cues and that the magnetic (and not topographic) north exerted the effect. The detailed analysis shows that the phenomenon involves also "repulsion of the south". The clockwise turning preference in the right-preferring dogs is more pronounced in the S-W combination, while the counterclockwise turning preference in the left-preferring dogs is pronounced in the S-E combination. In this way, south-placed dishes are less frequently chosen than would be expected, while the north-placed dishes are apparently more preferred. Turning preference did not correlate with the motoric paw laterality (Kong test). Given that the choice of a dish is visually guided, we postulate that the turning preference was determined by the dominant eye, so that a dominant right eye resulted in clockwise, and a dominant left eye in counterclockwise turning. Assuming further that magnetoreception in canines is based on the radical-pair mechanism, a "conflict of interests" may be expected, if the dominant eye guides turning away from north, yet the contralateral eye "sees the north", which generally acts attractive, provoking body alignment along the north-south axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Adámková
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Benediktová
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Svoboda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Luděk Bartoš
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Praha, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Vynikalová
- Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Nováková
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Vlastimil Hart
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Michael S. Painter
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Hynek Burda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Smith MA, Waugh DA, McBurney DL, George JC, Suydam RS, Thewissen JGM, Crish SD. A comparative analysis of cone photoreceptor morphology in bowhead and beluga whales. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:2376-2390. [PMID: 33377221 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The cetacean visual system is a product of selection pressures favoring underwater vision, yet relatively little is known about it across taxa. Previous studies report several mutations in the opsin genetic sequence in cetaceans, suggesting the evolutionary complete or partial loss of retinal cone photoreceptor function in mysticete and odontocete lineages, respectively. Despite this, limited anatomical evidence suggests cone structures are partially maintained but with absent outer and inner segments in the bowhead retina. The functional consequence and anatomical distributions associated with these unique cone morphologies remain unclear. The current study further investigates the morphology and distribution of cone photoreceptors in the bowhead whale and beluga retina and evaluates the potential functional capacity of these cells' alternative to photoreception. Refined histological and advanced microscopic techniques revealed two additional cone morphologies in the bowhead and beluga retina that have not been previously described. Two proteins involved in magnetosensation were present in these cone structures suggesting the possibility for an alternative functional role in responding to changes in geomagnetic fields. These findings highlight a revised understanding of the unique evolution of cone and gross retinal anatomy in cetaceans, and provide prefatory evidence of potential functional reassignment of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Smith
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA.,Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - David A Waugh
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - Denise L McBurney
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - John C George
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Utqiagvik, Alaska, USA
| | - Robert S Suydam
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Utqiagvik, Alaska, USA
| | - Johannes G M Thewissen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - Samuel D Crish
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
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Bonadè M, Ogura A, Corre E, Bassaglia Y, Bonnaud-Ponticelli L. Diversity of Light Sensing Molecules and Their Expression During the Embryogenesis of the Cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis). Front Physiol 2020; 11:521989. [PMID: 33117186 PMCID: PMC7553075 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.521989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Eyes morphologies may differ but those differences are not reflected at the molecular level. Indeed, the ability to perceive light is thought to come from the same conserved gene families: opsins and cryptochromes. Even though cuttlefish (Cephalopoda) are known for their visually guided behaviors, there is a lack of data about the different opsins and cryptochromes orthologs represented in the genome and their expressions. Here we studied the evolutionary history of opsins, cryptochromes but also visual arrestins in molluscs with an emphasis on cephalopods. We identified 6 opsins, 2 cryptochromes and 1 visual arrestin in Sepia officinalis and we showed these families undergo several duplication events in Mollusca: one duplication in the arrestin family and two in the opsin family. In cuttlefish, we studied the temporal expression of these genes in the eyes of embryos from stage 23 to hatching and their expression in two extraocular tissues, skin and central nervous system (CNS = brain + optic lobes). We showed in embryos that some of these genes (Sof_CRY6, Sof_reti-1, Sof_reti-2, Sof_r-opsin1 and Sof_v-arr) are expressed in the eyes and not in the skin or CNS. By looking at a juvenile and an adult S. officinalis, it seems that some of these genes (Sof_r-opsin1 and Sof_reti1) are used for light detection in these extraocular tissues but that they set-up later in development than in the eyes. We also showed that their expression (except for Sof_CRY6) undergoes an increase in the eyes from stage 25 to 28 thus confirming their role in the ability of the cuttlefish embryos to perceive light through the egg capsule. This study raises the question of the role of Sof_CRY6 in the developing eyes in cuttlefish embryos and the role and localization of xenopsins and r-opsin2. Consequently, the diversity of molecular actors involved in light detection both in the eyes and extraocular tissues is higher than previously known. These results open the way for studying new molecules such as those of the signal transduction cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Bonadè
- Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Française (FRE2030), Université de Caen Normandie, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD 207), Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Atsushi Ogura
- Department of Computer Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Japan
| | - Erwan Corre
- Station biologique de Roscoff, plateforme ABiMS, FR2424 CNRS-Sorbonne Université (UPMC), Roscoff, France
| | - Yann Bassaglia
- Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Française (FRE2030), Université de Caen Normandie, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD 207), Université des Antilles, Paris, France.,Université Paris Est Créteil-Val de Marne (UPEC), Créteil, France
| | - Laure Bonnaud-Ponticelli
- Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Française (FRE2030), Université de Caen Normandie, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD 207), Université des Antilles, Paris, France
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14
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Common Functions of Disordered Proteins across Evolutionary Distant Organisms. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062105. [PMID: 32204351 PMCID: PMC7139818 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins and regions typically lack a well-defined structure and thus fall outside the scope of the classic sequence–structure–function relationship. Hence, classic sequence- or structure-based bioinformatic approaches are often not well suited to identify homology or predict the function of unknown intrinsically disordered proteins. Here, we give selected examples of intrinsic disorder in plant proteins and present how protein function is shared, altered or distinct in evolutionary distant organisms. Furthermore, we explore how examining the specific role of disorder across different phyla can provide a better understanding of the common features that protein disorder contributes to the respective biological mechanism.
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15
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Analysis of zebrafish cryptochrome 2 and 4 expression in UV cone photoreceptors. Gene Expr Patterns 2020; 35:119100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2020.119100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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16
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Otsuka K, Cornelissen G, Kubo Y, Shibata K, Mizuno K, Ohshima H, Furukawa S, Mukai C. Anti-aging effects of long-term space missions, estimated by heart rate variability. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8995. [PMID: 31222071 PMCID: PMC6586662 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45387-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reports that aging slows down in space prompted this investigation of anti-aging effects in humans by analyzing astronauts' heart rate variability (HRV). Ambulatory 48-hour electrocardiograms from 7 astronauts (42.1 ± 6.8 years; 6 men) 20.6 ± 2.7 days (ISS01) and 138.6 ± 21.8 days (ISS02) after launch were divided into 24-hour spans of relative lower or higher magnetic disturbance, based on geomagnetic measures in Tromso, Norway. Magnetic disturbances were significantly higher on disturbed than on quiet days (ISS01: 72.01 ± 33.82 versus 33.96 ± 17.90 nT, P = 0.0307; ISS02: 71.06 ± 51.52 versus 32.53 ± 27.27 nT, P = 0.0308). SDNNIDX was increased on disturbed days (by 5.5% during ISS01, P = 0.0110), as were other HRV indices during ISS02 (SDANN, 12.5%, P = 0.0243; Triangular Index, 8.4%, P = 0.0469; and TF-component, 17.2%, P = 0.0054), suggesting the action of an anti-aging or longevity effect. The effect on TF was stronger during light (12:00-17:00) than during darkness (0:00-05:00) (P = 0.0268). The brain default mode network (DMN) was activated, gauged by increases in the LF-band (9.7%, P = 0.0730) and MF1-band (9.9%, P = 0.0281). Magnetic changes in the magnetosphere can affect and enhance HRV indices in space, involving an anti-aging or longevity effect, probably in association with the brain DMN, in a light-dependent manner and/or with help from the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniaki Otsuka
- Executive Medical Center, Totsuka Royal Clinic, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Halberg Chronobiology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
| | - Germaine Cornelissen
- Halberg Chronobiology Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yutaka Kubo
- Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Shibata
- Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koh Mizuno
- Faculty of Education, Tohoku Fukushi University, Miyagi, Japan
- Space Biomedical Research Group, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ohshima
- Space Biomedical Research Group, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Furukawa
- Space Biomedical Research Group, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chiaki Mukai
- Space Biomedical Research Group, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Sakaniwa H. Evaluation of Vital Data by Presenting Feeling of Presence Using Modulated Infrared Rays. JOURNAL OF ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND INTELLIGENT INFORMATICS 2019. [DOI: 10.20965/jaciii.2019.p0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A new method of vital stimulation apart from the visual and auditory senses using modulated far-infrared rays is proposed. The somatic sense is stimulated to provide the feeling of presence of a human being. Fundamental experiments are performed, and the specifications of the stimulating device are defined. The heartbeat, breathing, and temperature change of parts of the face are observed during the irradiation of the modulated far-infrared rays. The change in the vital data of the human reaction towards the stimulation is < 3.5% and no remarkable characteristics are observed. When three subjects are questioned, a somatic sensation is reported; thus, the possibility of detecting the feeling of presence using other vital data is suggested. Further development of detection techniques using the vital data is planned in order to confirm the effectiveness of the detection of the feeling of presence.
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18
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What do dogs (Canis familiaris) see? A review of vision in dogs and implications for cognition research. Psychon Bull Rev 2019; 25:1798-1813. [PMID: 29143248 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-017-1404-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, a large amount of research has been conducted in an attempt to uncover the cognitive abilities of the domestic dog. While substantial advancements have been made, progress has been impeded by the fact that little is known about how dogs visually perceive their external environment. It is imperative that future research determines more precisely canine visual processing capabilities, particularly considering the increasing number of studies assessing cognition via paradigms requiring vision. This review discusses current research on visual cognition and emphasizes the importance of understanding dog visual processing. We review several areas of vision research in domestic dogs, such as sensitivity to light, visual perspective, visual acuity, form perception, and color vision, with a focus on how these abilities may affect performance in cognition tasks. Additionally, we consider the immense diversity seen in dog morphology and explore ways in which these physical differences, particularly in facial morphology, may result in, or perhaps even be caused by, different visual processing capacities in dogs. Finally, we suggest future directions for research in dog vision and cognition.
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19
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Chang H, Guo JL, Fu XW, Wang ML, Hou YM, Wu KM. Molecular Characterization and Expression Profiles of Cryptochrome Genes in a Long-Distance Migrant, Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2019; 19:5299137. [PMID: 30690535 PMCID: PMC6342827 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iey127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cryptochromes act as photoreceptors or integral components of the circadian clock that involved in the regulation of circadian clock and regulation of migratory activity in many animals, and they may also act as magnetoreceptors that sensed the direction of the Earth's magnetic field for the purpose of navigation during animals' migration. Light is a major environmental signal for insect circadian rhythms, and it is also necessary for magnetic orientation. We identified the full-length cDNA encoding As-CRY1 and As-CRY2 in Agrotis segetum Denis and Schiffermaller (turnip moth (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)). The DNA photolyase domain and flavin adenine dinucleotide-binding domain were found in both cry genes, and multiple alignments showed that those domains that are important for the circadian clock and magnetosensing were highly conserved among different animals. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that cry genes were expressed in all examined body parts, with higher expression in adults during the developmental stages of the moths. Under a 14:10 (L:D) h cycle, the expression of cry genes showed a daily biological rhythm, and light can affect the expression levels of As-cry genes. The expression levels of cry genes were higher in the migratory population than in the reared population and higher in the emigration population than in the immigration population. These findings suggest that the two cryptochrome genes characterized in the turnip moth might be associated with the circadian clock and magnetosensing. Their functions deserve further study, especially for potential control of the turnip moth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiang-Long Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Fu
- Department of Plant Protection, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China
| | - Meng-Lun Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - You-Ming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kong-Ming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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20
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Sadier A, Davies KT, Yohe LR, Yun K, Donat P, Hedrick BP, Dumont ER, Dávalos LM, Rossiter SJ, Sears KE. Multifactorial processes underlie parallel opsin loss in neotropical bats. eLife 2018; 7:37412. [PMID: 30560780 PMCID: PMC6333445 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The loss of previously adaptive traits is typically linked to relaxation in selection, yet the molecular steps leading to such repeated losses are rarely known. Molecular studies of loss have tended to focus on gene sequences alone, but overlooking other aspects of protein expression might underestimate phenotypic diversity. Insights based almost solely on opsin gene evolution, for instance, have made mammalian color vision a textbook example of phenotypic loss. We address this gap by investigating retention and loss of opsin genes, transcripts, and proteins across ecologically diverse noctilionoid bats. We find multiple, independent losses of short-wave-sensitive opsins. Mismatches between putatively functional DNA sequences, mRNA transcripts, and proteins implicate transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes in the ongoing loss of S-opsins in some noctilionoid bats. Our results provide a snapshot of evolution in progress during phenotypic trait loss, and suggest vertebrate visual phenotypes cannot always be predicted from genotypes alone. Bats are famous for using their hearing to explore their environments, yet fewer people are aware that these flying mammals have both good night and daylight vision. Some bats can even see in color thanks to two light-sensitive proteins at the back of their eyes: S-opsin which detects blue and ultraviolet light and L-opsin which detects green and red light. Many species of bat, however, are missing one of these proteins and cannot distinguish any colors; in other words, they are completely color-blind. Some bat species found in Central and South America have independently lost their ability to see blue-ultraviolet light and have thus also lost their color vision. These bats have diverse diets – ranging from insects to fruits and even blood – and being able to distinguish color may offer an advantage in many of their activities, including hunting or foraging. The vision genes in these bats, therefore, give scientists an opportunity to explore how a seemingly important trait can be lost at the molecular level. Sadier, Davies et al. now report that S-opsin has been lost more than a dozen times during the evolutionary history of these Central and South American bats. The analysis used samples from 55 species, including animals caught from the wild and specimens from museums. As with other proteins, the instructions encoded in the gene sequence for S opsin need to be copied into a molecule of RNA before they can be translated into protein. As expected, S-opsin was lost several times because of changes in the gene sequence that disrupted the formation of the protein. However, at several points in these bats’ evolutionary history, additional changes have taken place that affected the production of the RNA or the protein, without an obvious change to the gene itself. This finding suggests that other studies that rely purely on DNA to understand evolution may underestimate how often traits may be lost. By capturing ‘evolution in action’, these results also provide a more complete picture of the molecular targets of evolution in a diverse set of bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Sadier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Kalina Tj Davies
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laurel R Yohe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, United States.,Geology & Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, United States
| | - Kun Yun
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, United States
| | - Paul Donat
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, United States
| | - Brandon P Hedrick
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Elizabeth R Dumont
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States
| | - Liliana M Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, United States.,Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, New York, United States
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Karen E Sears
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
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21
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Voigt CC, Rehnig K, Lindecke O, Pētersons G. Migratory bats are attracted by red light but not by warm-white light: Implications for the protection of nocturnal migrants. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9353-9361. [PMID: 30377506 PMCID: PMC6194273 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The replacement of conventional lighting with energy-saving light emitting diodes (LED) is a worldwide trend, yet its consequences for animals and ecosystems are poorly understood. Strictly nocturnal animals such as bats are particularly sensitive to artificial light at night (ALAN). Past studies have shown that bats, in general, respond to ALAN according to the emitted light color and that migratory bats, in particular, exhibit phototaxis in response to green light. As red and white light is frequently used in outdoor lighting, we asked how migratory bats respond to these wavelength spectra. At a major migration corridor, we recorded the presence of migrating bats based on ultrasonic recorders during 10-min light-on/light-off intervals to red or warm-white LED, interspersed with dark controls. When the red LED was switched on, we observed an increase in flight activity for Pipistrellus pygmaeus and a trend for a higher activity for Pipistrellus nathusii. As the higher flight activity of bats was not associated with increased feeding, we rule out the possibility that bats foraged at the red LED light. Instead, bats may have flown toward the red LED light source. When exposed to warm-white LED, general flight activity at the light source did not increase, yet we observed an increased foraging activity directly at the light source compared to the dark control. Our findings highlight a response of migratory bats toward LED light that was dependent on light color. The most parsimonious explanation for the response to red LED is phototaxis and for the response to warm-white LED foraging. Our findings call for caution in the application of red aviation lighting, particularly at wind turbines, as this light color might attract bats, leading eventually to an increased collision risk of migratory bats at wind turbines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C. Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Institute of BiologyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Katharina Rehnig
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Faculty of Life ScienceUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Oliver Lindecke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Institute of BiologyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Gunārs Pētersons
- Faculty of Veterinary MedicineLatvia University of Life Sciences and TechnologiesJelgavaLatvia
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22
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Malkemper EP, Peichl L. Retinal photoreceptor and ganglion cell types and topographies in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes
) and Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus
). J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:2078-2098. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erich Pascal Malkemper
- Department of General Zoology; Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen; Essen Germany
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences; Praha 6 Czech Republic
| | - Leo Peichl
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research; Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt am Main Germany
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23
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24
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Nogueira AB, Nogueira AB, Veiga JCE, Teixeira MJ. Hypothesis on the Role of Cryptochromes in Inflammation and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Outcome. Front Neurol 2017; 8:637. [PMID: 29234304 PMCID: PMC5712357 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently found that the temperature variability (TV) in the day-night cycle may predict the mean intracranial pressure in the following 24 h (ICP24) in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients under multimodality monitoring, sedation, and hypothermia (<35°C). Specifically, we found that ICP24 = 6 (4 - TV) mmHg. TV is the ratio between the coefficient of variation of temperature during the nocturnal and the preceding diurnal periods. This result suggests that the circadian clock reflects brain plasticity mechanisms and its malfunctioning leads to deterioration of the neurologic status. The sleep-wake cycle is absent in these patients and their circadian clock can function properly only by environment light-independent mechanisms. One mechanism involves the circadian clock proteins named cryptochromes (CRYs). CRYs are highly preserved and widespread in the evolutionary tree, are expressed in different cell types in humans [type II CRYs, in two forms: human cryptochrome 1 and 2 (hCRY1 and hCRY2)], and in certain species, respond to blue light and play role in magnetoreception. Interestingly, SAH outcome seems to correlate with inflammation, and CRYs decrease inflammatory activity. Our hypothesis derived from these observations is that CRYs modulate the circadian oscillation of temperature even during therapeutic hypothermia and improve outcome in SAH through decrease in inflammation. A strategy to test this hypothesis is to measure periodically during the acute phase of high-grade SAH the level of CRYs in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and circulating white blood cells, and to correlate these levels with outcome, TV, ICP24, and pro- and anti-inflammatory markers in CSF and blood. If this hypothesis is true, the development of therapies targeting inflammation in SAH could take advantage of cryptochrome properties. It has been shown that blue light phototherapy increases the expression of CRYs in blood mononuclear cells in jaundiced neonates. Likewise, visual stimulus with flashing light improves Alzheimer's disease features in experimental model and there is a prominent expression of CRYs in the retina. Remarkably, recent evidence showed that hCRY2 responds to electromagnetic fields, which could be one elusive mechanism of action of transcranial magnetic stimulation and a reason for its use in SAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Barreto Nogueira
- Division of Neurosurgery Clinic, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Discipline of Neurosurgery, Santa Casa Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ariel Barreto Nogueira
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Hospital das Clinicas, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Carlos Esteves Veiga
- Discipline of Neurosurgery, Santa Casa Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira
- Division of Neurosurgery Clinic, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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25
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Nießner C, Winklhofer M. Radical-pair-based magnetoreception in birds: radio-frequency experiments and the role of cryptochrome. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:499-507. [PMID: 28612234 PMCID: PMC5522499 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1189-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The radical-pair hypothesis of magnetoreception has gained a lot of momentum, since the flavoprotein cryptochrome was postulated as a structural candidate to host magnetically sensitive chemical reactions. Here, we first discuss behavioral tests using radio-frequency magnetic fields (0.1-10 MHz) to specifically disturb a radical-pair-based avian magnetic compass sense. While disorienting effects of broadband RF magnetic fields have been replicated independently in two competing labs, the effects of monochromatic RF magnetic fields administered at the electronic Larmor frequency (~1.3 MHz) are disparate. We give technical recommendations for future RF experiments. We then focus on two candidate magnetoreceptor proteins in birds, Cry1a and Cry1b, two splice variants of the same gene (Cry1). Immunohistochemical studies have identified Cry1a in the outer segments of the ultraviolet/violet-sensitive cone photoreceptors and Cry1b in the cytosol of retinal ganglion cells. The identification of the host neurons of these cryptochromes and their subcellular expression patterns presents an important advance, but much work lies ahead to gain some functional understanding. In particular, interaction partners of cryptochrome Cry1a and Cry1b remain to be identified. A candidate partner for Cry4 was previously suggested, but awaits independent replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Nießner
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience, Deutschordenstr 46, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michael Winklhofer
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences IBU, School of Mathematics and Science, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.
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26
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Voigt CC, Roeleke M, Marggraf L, Pētersons G, Voigt-Heucke SL. Migratory bats respond to artificial green light with positive phototaxis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177748. [PMID: 28562607 PMCID: PMC5451015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night is spreading worldwide at unprecedented rates, exposing strictly nocturnal animals such as bats to a novel anthropogenic stressor. Previous studies about the effect of artificial light on bats focused almost exclusively on non-migratory species, yet migratory animals such as birds are known to be largely affected by light pollution. Thus, we conducted a field experiment to evaluate if bat migration is affected by artificial light at night. In late summer, we presented artificial green light of 520 nm wavelength to bats that were migrating south along the shoreline of the Baltic Sea. Using a light on-off treatment, we observed that the activity of Pipistrellus nathusii and P. pygmaeus, the two most abundant migratory species at our site, increased by more than 50% in the light-on compared to the light-off treatment. We observed an increased number of feeding buzzes during the light-on compared to the light-off treatment for P. nathusii. However, feeding activity was low in general and did not increase disproportionately during the light-on treatment in relation to the overall echolocation call activity of bats. Further, P. nathusii were attracted towards the green light at a distance of about 23 m, which is way beyond the echolocation detection range for insects of Nathusius’ bats. We therefore infer that migratory bats were not attracted to artificial green light because of high insect densities, but instead by positive phototaxis. We conclude that artificial light at night may potentially impact bat migration in a yet unrecognized way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C. Voigt
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- AG Verhaltensbiologie, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Manuel Roeleke
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- AG Verhaltensbiologie, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara Marggraf
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Gunārs Pētersons
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Agriculture, Jelgava, Latvia
| | - Silke L. Voigt-Heucke
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- AG Verhaltensbiologie, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, Berlin, Germany
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Peichl L, Kaiser A, Rakotondraparany F, Dubielzig RR, Goodman SM, Kappeler PM. Diversity of photoreceptor arrangements in nocturnal, cathemeral and diurnal Malagasy lemurs. J Comp Neurol 2017; 527:13-37. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leo Peichl
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research; Max-von-Laue-Straße 4, 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience; Deutschordenstraße 46, 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Goethe University Frankfurt; Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Alexander Kaiser
- Department Biology II; Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich; Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Martinsried-Planegg Germany
- Institute of Zoology; University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover; Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover Germany
| | - Felix Rakotondraparany
- Département de Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale; Université d’Antananarivo; BP 906, Antananarivo 101 Madagascar
| | - Richard R. Dubielzig
- School of Veterinary Medicine; University of Wisconsin; 2015 Linden Drive Madison Wisconsin 53706
| | - Steven M. Goodman
- The Field Museum of Natural History; 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Illinois 60605
- Association Vahatra; BP 3972, Antananarivo 101 Madagascar
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center; Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen Germany
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute of Zoology and Anthropology; University Göttingen; Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen Germany
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28
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Michael AK, Fribourgh JL, Van Gelder RN, Partch CL. Animal Cryptochromes: Divergent Roles in Light Perception, Circadian Timekeeping and Beyond. Photochem Photobiol 2017; 93:128-140. [PMID: 27891621 DOI: 10.1111/php.12677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cryptochromes are evolutionarily related to the light-dependent DNA repair enzyme photolyase, serving as major regulators of circadian rhythms in insects and vertebrate animals. There are two types of cryptochromes in the animal kingdom: Drosophila-like CRYs that act as nonvisual photopigments linking circadian rhythms to the environmental light/dark cycle, and vertebrate-like CRYs that do not appear to sense light directly, but control the generation of circadian rhythms by acting as transcriptional repressors. Some animals have both types of CRYs, while others possess only one. Cryptochromes have two domains, the photolyase homology region (PHR) and an extended, intrinsically disordered C-terminus. While all animal CRYs share a high degree of sequence and structural homology in their PHR domains, the C-termini are divergent in both length and sequence identity. Recently, cryptochrome function has been shown to extend beyond its pivotal role in circadian clocks, participating in regulation of the DNA damage response, cancer progression and glucocorticoid signaling, as well as being implicated as possible magnetoreceptors. In this review, we provide a historical perspective on the discovery of animal cryptochromes, examine similarities and differences of the two types of animal cryptochromes and explore some of the divergent roles for this class of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia K Michael
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Jennifer L Fribourgh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
| | | | - Carrie L Partch
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA.,Center for Circadian Biology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA
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Malkemper EP, Painter MS, Landler L. Shifted magnetic alignment in vertebrates: Evidence for neural lateralization? J Theor Biol 2016; 399:141-7. [PMID: 27059891 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A wealth of evidence provides support for magnetic alignment (MA) behavior in a variety of disparate species within the animal kingdom, in which an animal, or a group of animals, show a tendency to align the body axis in a consistent orientation relative to the geomagnetic field lines. Interestingly, among vertebrates, MA typically coincides with the north-south magnetic axis, however, the mean directional preferences of an individual or group of organisms is often rotated clockwise from the north-south axis. We hypothesize that this shift is not a coincidence, and future studies of this subtle, yet consistent phenomenon may help to reveal some properties of the underlying sensory or processing mechanisms, that, to date, are not well understood. Furthermore, characterizing the fine structure exhibited in MA behaviors may provide key insights to the biophysical substrates mediating magnetoreception in vertebrates. Therefore, in order to determine if a consistent shift is exhibited in taxonomically diverse vertebrates, we performed a meta-analysis on published MA datasets from 23 vertebrate species that exhibited an axial north-south preference. This analysis revealed a significant clockwise shift from the north-south magnetic axis. We summarize and discuss possible competing hypotheses regarding the proximate mechanisms underlying the clockwise shifted MA and conclude that the most likely cause of such a shift would be a lateralization in central processing of magnetic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Pascal Malkemper
- Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse. 2, 45117 Essen, Germany; Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Michael S Painter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Lukas Landler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America; Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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