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Gao Y, Xu H, Jia B, Liu Y, Hassan A, Huang Q. Circadian Rhythms of Locomotor Activity Mediated by Cryptochrome 2 and Period 1 Genes in the Termites Reticulitermes chinensis and Odontotermes formosanus. INSECTS 2023; 15:1. [PMID: 38276815 PMCID: PMC10816429 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Locomotor activity rhythms are crucial for foraging, mating and predator avoidance in insects. Although the circadian rhythms of activity have been studied in several termite species, the molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythms in termites are still unclear. In this study, we found that two termite species, R. chinensis and O. formosanus, exhibited clear circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in constant darkness along with rhythmically expressed core clock genes, Cry2 and Per1. The knockdown of Cry2 or Per1 expression in the two termite species disrupted the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity and markedly reduced locomotor activity in constant darkness, which demonstrates that Cry2 and Per1 can mediate the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in termites in constant darkness. We suggest that locomotor activity in subterranean termites is controlled by the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyong Gao
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.G.); (H.X.); (B.J.); (Y.L.); (A.H.)
- Research and Development Centre of Ecological and Sustainable Application of Microbial Industry of the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province, College of Life Science, Yan’an University, Yan’an 716000, China
- Key Laboratory of Termite Control of Ministry of Water Resources, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Huan Xu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.G.); (H.X.); (B.J.); (Y.L.); (A.H.)
- Research and Development Centre of Ecological and Sustainable Application of Microbial Industry of the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province, College of Life Science, Yan’an University, Yan’an 716000, China
- Key Laboratory of Termite Control of Ministry of Water Resources, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Bao Jia
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.G.); (H.X.); (B.J.); (Y.L.); (A.H.)
| | - Yutong Liu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.G.); (H.X.); (B.J.); (Y.L.); (A.H.)
| | - Ali Hassan
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.G.); (H.X.); (B.J.); (Y.L.); (A.H.)
| | - Qiuying Huang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (Y.G.); (H.X.); (B.J.); (Y.L.); (A.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Termite Control of Ministry of Water Resources, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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2
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Thill A, Cammaerts MC, Balmori A. Biological effects of electromagnetic fields on insects: a systematic review and meta-analysis. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2023; 0:reveh-2023-0072. [PMID: 37990587 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2023-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, insects are declining at an alarming rate. Among other causes, the use of pesticides and modern agricultural practices play a major role in this. Cumulative effects of multiple low-dose toxins and the distribution of toxicants in nature have only started to be investigated in a methodical way. Existing research indicates another factor of anthropogenic origin that could have subtle harmful effects: the increasingly frequent use of electromagnetic fields (EMF) from man-made technologies. This systematic review summarizes the results of studies investigating the toxicity of electromagnetic fields in insects. The main objective of this review is to weigh the evidence regarding detrimental effects on insects from the increasing technological infrastructure, with a particular focus on power lines and the cellular network. The next generation of mobile communication technologies, 5G, is being deployed - without having been tested in respect of potential toxic effects. With humanity's quest for pervasiveness of technology, even modest effects of electromagnetic fields on organisms could eventually reach a saturation level that can no longer be ignored. An overview of reported effects and biological mechanisms of exposure to electromagnetic fields, which addresses new findings in cell biology, is included. Biological effects of non-thermal EMF on insects are clearly proven in the laboratory, but only partly in the field, thus the wider ecological implications are still unknown. There is a need for more field studies, but extrapolating from the laboratory, as is common practice in ecotoxicology, already warrants increasing the threat level of environmental EMF impact on insects.
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3
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Brodrick E, Jékely G. Photobehaviours guided by simple photoreceptor systems. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1817-1835. [PMID: 37650997 PMCID: PMC10770211 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01818-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Light provides a widely abundant energy source and valuable sensory cue in nature. Most animals exposed to light have photoreceptor cells and in addition to eyes, there are many extraocular strategies for light sensing. Here, we review how these simpler forms of detecting light can mediate rapid behavioural responses in animals. Examples of these behaviours include photophobic (light avoidance) or scotophobic (shadow) responses, photokinesis, phototaxis and wavelength discrimination. We review the cells and response mechanisms in these forms of elementary light detection, focusing on aquatic invertebrates with some protist and terrestrial examples to illustrate the general principles. Light cues can be used very efficiently by these simple photosensitive systems to effectively guide animal behaviours without investment in complex and energetically expensive visual structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emelie Brodrick
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.
| | - Gáspár Jékely
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Winkler R, Ciria M, Ahmad M, Plank H, Marcuello C. A Review of the Current State of Magnetic Force Microscopy to Unravel the Magnetic Properties of Nanomaterials Applied in Biological Systems and Future Directions for Quantum Technologies. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2585. [PMID: 37764614 PMCID: PMC10536909 DOI: 10.3390/nano13182585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Magnetism plays a pivotal role in many biological systems. However, the intensity of the magnetic forces exerted between magnetic bodies is usually low, which demands the development of ultra-sensitivity tools for proper sensing. In this framework, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) offers excellent lateral resolution and the possibility of conducting single-molecule studies like other single-probe microscopy (SPM) techniques. This comprehensive review attempts to describe the paramount importance of magnetic forces for biological applications by highlighting MFM's main advantages but also intrinsic limitations. While the working principles are described in depth, the article also focuses on novel micro- and nanofabrication procedures for MFM tips, which enhance the magnetic response signal of tested biomaterials compared to commercial nanoprobes. This work also depicts some relevant examples where MFM can quantitatively assess the magnetic performance of nanomaterials involved in biological systems, including magnetotactic bacteria, cryptochrome flavoproteins, and magnetic nanoparticles that can interact with animal tissues. Additionally, the most promising perspectives in this field are highlighted to make the reader aware of upcoming challenges when aiming toward quantum technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Winkler
- Christian Doppler Laboratory—DEFINE, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria; (R.W.); (H.P.)
| | - Miguel Ciria
- Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain;
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Margaret Ahmad
- Photobiology Research Group, IBPS, UMR8256 CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Harald Plank
- Christian Doppler Laboratory—DEFINE, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria; (R.W.); (H.P.)
- Graz Centre for Electron Microscopy, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Institute of Electron Microscopy, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Carlos Marcuello
- Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain;
- Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas (LMA), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
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5
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Merlin C. Insect magnetoreception: a Cry for mechanistic insights. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2023; 209:785-792. [PMID: 37184693 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01636-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Migratory animals can detect and use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and navigation, sometimes over distances spanning thousands of kilometers. How they do so remains, however, one of the greatest mysteries in all sensory biology. Here, the author reviews the progress made to understand the molecular bases of the animal magnetic sense focusing on insect species, the only species in which genetic studies have so far been possible. The central hypothesis in the field posits that magnetically sensitive radical pairs formed by photoexcitation of cryptochrome proteins are key to animal magnetoreception. The author provides an overview of our current state of knowledge for the involvement of insect light-sensitive type I and light-insensitive type II cryptochromes in this enigmatic sense, and highlights some of the unanswered questions to gain a comprehensive understanding of magnetoreception at the organismal level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Merlin
- Center for Biological Clock Research and Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77845, USA.
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6
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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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7
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Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhao J, He J, Xuanyuan Z, Pan W, Sword GA, Chen F, Wan G. Probing Transcriptional Crosstalk between Cryptochromes and Iron-sulfur Cluster Assembly 1 ( MagR) in the Magnetoresponse of a Migratory Insect. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11101. [PMID: 37446278 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many organisms can sense and respond to magnetic fields (MFs), with migratory species in particular utilizing geomagnetic field information for long-distance migration. Cryptochrome proteins (Crys) along with a highly conserved Iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein (i.e., MagR) have garnered significant attention for their involvement in magnetoresponse (including magnetoreception). However, in vivo investigations of potential transcriptional crosstalk between Crys and MagR genes have been limited. The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, is a major migratory pest insect and an emerging model for studying MF intensity-related magnetoresponse. Here, we explored in vivo transcriptional crosstalk between Crys (Cry1 and Cry2) and MagR in N. lugens. The expression of Crys and MagR were found to be sensitive to MF intensity changes as small as several micro-teslas. Knocking down MagR expression led to a significant downregulation of Cry1, but not Cry2. The knockdown of either Cry1 or Cry2 individually did not significantly affect MagR expression. However, their double knockdown resulted in significant upregulation of MagR. Our findings clearly indicate transcriptional crosstalk between MagR and Crys known to be involved in magnetoresponse. This work advances the understanding of magnetoresponse signaling and represents a key initial step towards elucidating the functional consequences of these novel in vivo interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuning Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jingyu Zhao
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jinglan He
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zongjin Xuanyuan
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Weidong Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Gregory A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Fajun Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Guijun Wan
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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8
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Molina-Montenegro MA, Acuña-Rodríguez IS, Ballesteros GI, Baldelomar M, Torres-Díaz C, Broitman BR, Vázquez DP. Electromagnetic fields disrupt the pollination service by honeybees. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh1455. [PMID: 37172085 PMCID: PMC10181175 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We assessed the effect that electromagnetic field (EMF) exerts on honeybees' pollination efficiency using field and laboratory experiments. First, we measured levels of gene and protein expression in metabolic pathways involved in stress and behavioral responses elicited by EMF. Second, we assessed the effect of EMF on honeybee behavior and seed production by the honeybee-pollinated California poppy and, lastly, by measuring the consequences of pollination failure on plants' community richness and abundance. EMF exposure exerted strong physiological stress on honeybees as shown by the enhanced expression of heat-shock proteins and genes involved in antioxidant activity and affected the expression levels of behavior-related genes. Moreover, California poppy individuals growing near EMF received fewer honeybee visits and produced fewer seeds than plants growing far from EMF. Last, we found a hump-shaped relationship between EMF and plant species richness and plant abundance. Our study provides conclusive evidence of detrimental impacts of EMF on honeybee's pollination behavior, leading to negative effects on plant community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco A. Molina-Montenegro
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa (CEI), Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Ian S. Acuña-Rodríguez
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa (CEI), Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria (I), Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Gabriel I. Ballesteros
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa (CEI), Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria (I), Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Mariela Baldelomar
- Centro de Ecología Integrativa (CEI), Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Cristian Torres-Díaz
- Grupo de Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (BCG), Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Bernardo R. Broitman
- Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Diego P. Vázquez
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
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9
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Tong D, Zhang L, Wu N, Xie D, Fang G, Coates BS, Sappington TW, Liu Y, Cheng Y, Xia J, Jiang X, Zhan S. The oriental armyworm genome yields insights into the long-distance migration of noctuid moths. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111843. [PMID: 36543122 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata, is known for its long-distance seasonal migration and environment-dependent phase polymorphisms. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome reference and integrate multi-omics, functional genetics, and behavioral assays to explore the genetic bases of the hallmark traits of M. separata migration. Gene family comparisons show expansion of gustatory receptor genes in this cereal crop pest. Functional investigation of magnetoreception-related genes and associated flight behaviors suggest that M. separata may use the geomagnetic field to guide orientation in its nocturnal flight. Comparative transcriptome characterizes a suite of genes that may confer the observed plasticity between phases, including genes involved in protein processing, hormone regulation, and dopamine metabolism. We further report molecular signatures that underlie the dynamic regulation of a migratory syndrome coordinating reproduction and flight. Our study yields insights into environment-dependent developmental plasticity in moths and advances our understanding of long-distance migration in nocturnal insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Tong
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ningning Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Dianjie Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Gangqi Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Brad S Coates
- USDA-ARS Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Science Hall II, 2310 Pammel Dr., Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Thomas W Sappington
- USDA-ARS Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Science Hall II, 2310 Pammel Dr., Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Yueqiu Liu
- School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yunxia Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jixing Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xingfu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Shuai Zhan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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10
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Deppisch P, Helfrich-Förster C, Senthilan PR. The Gain and Loss of Cryptochrome/Photolyase Family Members during Evolution. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13091613. [PMID: 36140781 PMCID: PMC9498864 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The cryptochrome/photolyase (CRY/PL) family represents an ancient group of proteins fulfilling two fundamental functions. While photolyases repair UV-induced DNA damages, cryptochromes mainly influence the circadian clock. In this study, we took advantage of the large number of already sequenced and annotated genes available in databases and systematically searched for the protein sequences of CRY/PL family members in all taxonomic groups primarily focusing on metazoans and limiting the number of species per taxonomic order to five. Using BLASTP searches and subsequent phylogenetic tree and motif analyses, we identified five distinct photolyases (CPDI, CPDII, CPDIII, 6-4 photolyase, and the plant photolyase PPL) and six cryptochrome subfamilies (DASH-CRY, mammalian-type MCRY, Drosophila-type DCRY, cnidarian-specific ACRY, plant-specific PCRY, and the putative magnetoreceptor CRY4. Manually assigning the CRY/PL subfamilies to the species studied, we have noted that over evolutionary history, an initial increase of various CRY/PL subfamilies was followed by a decrease and specialization. Thus, in more primitive organisms (e.g., bacteria, archaea, simple eukaryotes, and in basal metazoans), we find relatively few CRY/PL members. As species become more evolved (e.g., cnidarians, mollusks, echinoderms, etc.), the CRY/PL repertoire also increases, whereas it appears to decrease again in more recent organisms (humans, fruit flies, etc.). Moreover, our study indicates that all cryptochromes, although largely active in the circadian clock, arose independently from different photolyases, explaining their different modes of action.
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11
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Kyriacou CP, Rosato E. Genetic analysis of cryptochrome in insect magnetosensitivity. Front Physiol 2022; 13:928416. [PMID: 36035470 PMCID: PMC9399412 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.928416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The earth’s magnetic field plays an important role in the spectacular migrations and navigational abilities of many higher animals, particularly birds. However, these organisms are not amenable to genetic analysis, unlike the model fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, which can respond to magnetic fields under laboratory conditions. We therefore review the field of insect magnetosensitivity focusing on the role of the Cryptochromes (CRYs) that were first identified in Arabidopsis and Drosophila as key molecular components of circadian photo-entrainment pathways. Physico-chemical studies suggest that photo-activation of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) bound to CRY generates a FADo− Trpo+ radical pair as electrons skip along a chain of specific Trp residues and that the quantum spin chemistry of these radicals is sensitive to magnetic fields. The manipulation of CRY in several insect species has been performed using gene editing, replacement/rescue and knockdown methods. The effects of these various mutations on magnetosensitivity have revealed a number of surprises that are discussed in the light of recent developments from both in vivo and in vitro studies.
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12
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Zhang Y, Zeng L, Wei Y, Zhang M, Pan W, Sword GA, Yang F, Chen F, Wan G. Reliable reference genes for gene expression analyses under the hypomagnetic field in a migratory insect. Front Physiol 2022; 13:954228. [PMID: 36003646 PMCID: PMC9393789 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.954228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Manipulating the hypomagnetic field (HMF), which is the absence or significant weakening (<5 μT) of the geomagnetic field (GMF), offers a unique tool to investigate magnetic field effects on organismal physiology, development, behavior and life history. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has been utilized to study changes in gene expression associated with exposure to the HMF. However, selecting appropriate reference genes (RGs) with confirmed stable expression across environments for RT-qPCR is often underappreciated. Using three algorithms (BestKeeper, NormFinder, and GeNorm), we investigated the expression stability of eight candidate RGs when exposed to the HMF condition versus local GMF during developmental from juveniles to adults in the migratory insect pest, the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens. During the nymphal stage, RPL5 & α-TUB1, EF1-α & ARF1, RPL5 & AK, EF1-α & RPL5, and ARF1 & AK were suggested as the most stable RG sets in the 1st to 5th instars, respectively. For 1- to 3-day-old adults, AK & ARF1, AK & α-TUB1, AK & ARF1 and EF1-α & RPL5, AK & α-TUB1, AK & EF1-α were the optimal RG sets for macropterous and brachypterous females, respectively. ACT1 & RPL5, RPL5 & EF1-α, α-TUB1 & ACT1 and EF1-α & RPL5, ARF1 & ACT1, ACT1 & ARF1 were the optimal RG sets for macropterous and brachypterous males, respectively. These results will facilitate accurate gene expression analyses under the HMF in N. lugens. The verification approach illustrated in this study highlights the importance of identifying reliable RGs for future empirical studies of magnetobiology (including magnetoreception) that involve magnetic field intensity as a factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Health & Crop Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Luying Zeng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Health & Crop Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongji Wei
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Health & Crop Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Health & Crop Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weidong Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gregory A. Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Fei Yang
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Fajun Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Health & Crop Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guijun Wan
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Health & Crop Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Guijun Wan,
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13
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Multiple Photolyases Protect the Marine Cyanobacterium Synechococcus from Ultraviolet Radiation. mBio 2022; 13:e0151122. [PMID: 35856560 PMCID: PMC9426592 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01511-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine cyanobacteria depend on light for photosynthesis, restricting their growth to the photic zone. The upper part of this layer is exposed to strong UV radiation (UVR), a DNA mutagen that can harm these microorganisms. To thrive in UVR-rich waters, marine cyanobacteria employ photoprotection strategies that are still not well defined. Among these are photolyases, light-activated enzymes that repair DNA dimers generated by UVR. Our analysis of genomes of 81 strains of Synechococcus, Cyanobium, and Prochlorococcus isolated from the world’s oceans shows that they possess up to five genes encoding different members of the photolyase/cryptochrome family, including a photolyase with a novel domain arrangement encoded by either one or two separate genes. We disrupted the putative photolyase-encoding genes in Synechococcus sp. strain RS9916 and discovered that each gene contributes to the overall capacity of this organism to survive UVR. Additionally, each conferred increased survival after UVR exposure when transformed into Escherichia coli lacking its photolyase and SOS response. Our results provide the first evidence that this large set of photolyases endows Synechococcus with UVR resistance that is far superior to that of E. coli, but that, unlike for E. coli, these photolyases provide Synechococcus with the vast majority of its UVR tolerance.
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14
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Abstract
The ability to detect magnetic fields is a sensory modality that is used by many animals to navigate. While first postulated in the 1800s, for decades, it was considered a biological myth. A series of elegant behavioral experiments in the 1960s and 1970s showed conclusively that the sense is real; however, the underlying mechanism(s) remained unresolved. Consequently, this has given rise to a series of beliefs that are critically analyzed in this manuscript. We address six assertions: (1) Magnetoreception does not exist; (2) It has to be magnetite; (3) Birds have a conserved six loci magnetic sense system in their upper beak; (4) It has to be cryptochrome; (5) MagR is a protein biocompass; and (6) The electromagnetic induction hypothesis is dead. In advancing counter-arguments for these beliefs, we hope to stimulate debate, new ideas, and the design of well-controlled experiments that can aid our understanding of this fascinating biological phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Nimpf
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, 82152 Munich, Germany
| | - David A Keays
- Division of Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, 82152 Munich, Germany.,University of Cambridge, Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, Downing Street, CB2 3EG Cambridge, UK.,Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus- Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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15
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Human magnetic sense is mediated by a light and magnetic field resonance-dependent mechanism. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8997. [PMID: 35637212 PMCID: PMC9151822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12460-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous organisms use the Earth’s magnetic field as a sensory cue for migration, body alignment, or food search. Despite some contradictory reports, yet it is generally accepted that humans do not sense the geomagnetic field. Here, we demonstrate that a magnetic field resonance mechanism mediates light-dependent magnetic orientation in men, using a rotary chair experiment combined with a two-alternative forced choice paradigm. Two groups of subjects were classified with different magnetic orientation tendencies depending on the food context. Magnetic orientation of the subjects was sensitive to the wavelength of incident light and was critically dependent on blue light reaching the eyes. Importantly, it appears that a magnetic field resonance-dependent mechanism mediates these responses, as evidenced by disruption or augmentation of the ability to orient by radiofrequency magnetic fields at the Larmor frequency and the dependence of these effects on the angle between the radiofrequency and geomagnetic fields. Furthermore, inversion of the vertical component of the geomagnetic field revealed a non-canonical inclination compass effect on the magnetic orientation. These results establish the existence of a human magnetic sense and suggest an underlying quantum mechanical magnetoreception mechanism.
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16
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Arai S, Shimizu R, Adachi M, Hirai M. Magnetic field effects on the structure and molecular behavior of pigeon iron–sulfur protein. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4313. [DOI: 10.1002/pro.4313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shigeki Arai
- Institute for Quantum Life Science National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology Tokai Ibaraki Japan
| | - Rumi Shimizu
- Institute for Quantum Life Science National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology Tokai Ibaraki Japan
| | - Motoyasu Adachi
- Institute for Quantum Life Science National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology Tokai Ibaraki Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Hirai
- Graduate School of Science and Technology Gunma University Maebashi Gunma Japan
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17
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Barberà M, Collantes-Alegre JM, Martínez-Torres D. Mapping and quantification of cryptochrome expression in the brain of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:159-169. [PMID: 34743397 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aphids are paradigmatic photoperiodic animals often used to study the role of the circadian clock in the seasonal response. Previously, we described some elements of the circadian clock core (genes period and timeless) and output (melatonin, AANATs and PTTH) that could have a role in the regulation of the aphid seasonal response. More recently, we identified two opsins (C-ops and SWO4) as candidate input photoperiodic receptors. In the present report, we focus on the study of cryptochromes (cry) as photoreceptors of the circadian clock and discuss their involvement in the seasonal response. We analyse the expression of cry1 and cry2 genes in a circadian and seasonal context, and map their expression sites in the brain. We observe a robust rhythmic expression of cry2 peaking at dusk in phase with core clock genes period and timeless, while cry1 shows a weaker rhythm. Changes in cry1 and cry2 expression correlate with activation of the seasonal response, suggesting a possible link. Finally, we map the expression of cry1 and cry2 genes to clock neurons in the pars lateralis, a region essential for the photoperiodic response. Our results support a role for cry as elements of the aphid circadian clock and suggest a role in photoreception for cry1 and in clock repression for cry2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Barberà
- Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Científic Universitat de València, Paterna, València, Spain
| | | | - David Martínez-Torres
- Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Científic Universitat de València, Paterna, València, Spain
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18
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Kotwica-Rolinska J, Chodáková L, Smýkal V, Damulewicz M, Provazník J, Wu BCH, Hejníková M, Chvalová D, Doležel D. Loss of Timeless Underlies an Evolutionary Transition within the Circadian Clock. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 39:6454103. [PMID: 34893879 PMCID: PMC8789273 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Most organisms possess time-keeping devices called circadian clocks. At the molecular level, circadian clocks consist of transcription-translation feedback loops. Although some components of the negative transcription-translation feedback loop are conserved across the animals, important differences exist between typical models, such as mouse and the fruit fly. In Drosophila, the key components are PERIOD (PER) and TIMELESS (TIM-d) proteins, whereas the mammalian clock relies on PER and CRYPTOCHROME (CRY-m). Importantly, how the clock has maintained functionality during evolutionary transitions between different states remains elusive. Therefore, we systematically described the circadian clock gene setup in major bilaterian lineages and identified marked lineage-specific differences in their clock constitution. Then we performed a thorough functional analysis of the linden bug Pyrrhocoris apterus, an insect species comprising features characteristic of both the Drosophila and the mammalian clocks. Unexpectedly, the knockout of timeless-d, a gene essential for the clock ticking in Drosophila, did not compromise rhythmicity in P. apterus, it only accelerated its pace. Furthermore, silencing timeless-m, the ancestral timeless type ubiquitously present across animals, resulted in a mild gradual loss of rhythmicity, supporting its possible participation in the linden bug clock, which is consistent with timeless-m role suggested by research on mammalian models. The dispensability of timeless-d in P. apterus allows drawing a scenario in which the clock has remained functional at each step of transition from an ancestral state to the TIM-d-independent PER+CRY-mammalian system operating in extant vertebrates, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lenka Chodáková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Vlastimil Smýkal
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Provazník
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Bulah Chia-Hsiang Wu
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Hejníková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Chvalová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - David Doležel
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
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19
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Babcock N, Kattnig DR. Radical Scavenging Could Answer the Challenge Posed by Electron-Electron Dipolar Interactions in the Cryptochrome Compass Model. JACS AU 2021; 1:2033-2046. [PMID: 34841416 PMCID: PMC8611662 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many birds are endowed with a visual magnetic sense that may exploit magnetosensitive radical recombination processes in the protein cryptochrome. In this widely accepted but unproven model, geomagnetic sensitivity is suggested to arise from variations in the recombination rate of a pair of radicals, whose unpaired electron spins undergo coherent singlet-triplet interconversion in the geomagnetic field by coupling to nuclear spins via hyperfine interactions. However, simulations of this conventional radical pair mechanism (RPM) predicted only tiny magnetosensitivities for realistic conditions because the RPM's directional sensitivity is strongly suppressed by the intrinsic electron-electron dipolar (EED) interactions, casting doubt on its viability as a magnetic sensor. We show how this RPM-suppression problem is overcome in a three-radical system in which a third "scavenger" radical reacts with one member of the primary pair. We use this finding to predict substantial magnetic field effects that exceed those of the RPM in the presence of EED interactions in animal cryptochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan
Sean Babcock
- Quantum
Biology Laboratory, Howard University, 2400 Sixth Street NW, Washington District of Columbia, 20059, United States of America
- Living
Systems Institute and Department of Physics University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel R. Kattnig
- Living
Systems Institute and Department of Physics University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
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20
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Netušil R, Tomanová K, Chodáková L, Chvalová D, Doležel D, Ritz T, Vácha M. Cryptochrome-dependent magnetoreception in a heteropteran insect continues even after 24 h in darkness. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272037. [PMID: 34477876 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sensitivity to magnetic fields is dependent on the intensity and color of light in several animal species. The light-dependent magnetoreception working model points to cryptochrome (Cry) as a protein cooperating with its co-factor flavin, which possibly becomes magnetically susceptible upon excitation by light. The type of Cry involved and what pair of magnetosensitive radicals are responsible is still elusive. Therefore, we developed a conditioning assay for the firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus, an insect species that possesses only the mammalian cryptochrome (Cry II). Here, using the engineered Cry II null mutant, we show that: (i) vertebrate-like Cry II is an essential component of the magnetoreception response, and (ii) magnetic conditioning continues even after 25 h in darkness. The light-dependent and dark-persisting magnetoreception based on Cry II may inspire new perspectives in magnetoreception and cryptochrome research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radek Netušil
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Tomanová
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Chodáková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Chvalová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - David Doležel
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Thorsten Ritz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Martin Vácha
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno 62500, Czech Republic
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21
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Gao Y, Wen P, Cardé RT, Xu H, Huang Q. In addition to cryptochrome 2, magnetic particles with olfactory co-receptor are important for magnetic orientation in termites. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1121. [PMID: 34556782 PMCID: PMC8460727 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02661-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The volatile trail pheromone is an ephemeral chemical cue, whereas the geomagnetic field (GMF) provides a stable positional reference. However, it is unclear whether and how the cryptic termites perceive the GMF for orientation in light or darkness until now. Here, we found that the two termite species, Reticulitermes chinensis and Odontotermes formosanus, use the GMF for orientation. Our silencing cryptochrome 2 (Cry2) impaired magnetic orientation in white light but had no significant impact in complete darkness, suggesting that Cry2 can mediate magnetic orientation in termites only under light. Coincidentally, the presence of magnetic particles enabled the magnetic orientation of termites in darkness. When knock-downing the olfactory co-receptor (Orco) to exclude the effect of trail pheromone, unexpectedly, we found that the Orco participated in termite magnetic orientation under both light and darkness. Our findings revealed a novel magnetoreception model depending on the joint action of radical pair, magnetic particle, and olfactory co-receptor. Gao et al. analyze the role of magnetoreceptor candidates cryptochrome 2 (Cry2), magnetic particles and olfactory coreceptor (Orco) in magnetic orientation in two termite species. They report that termites use Cry2 for directional preference in white light, magnetic particles in darkness, and Orco participates in termite magnetic orientation under both light and darkness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyong Gao
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Ping Wen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650223, China
| | - Ring T Cardé
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Huan Xu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Qiuying Huang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
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22
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Ilijin L, Mrdaković M, Todorović D, Vlahović M, Grčić A, Filipović A, Perić-Mataruga V. Biological effects of chronic exposure of Blaptica dubia (Blattodea: Blaberidae) nymphs to static and extremely low frequency magnetic fields. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021; 93:e20190118. [PMID: 34105607 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120190118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we analyzed the effects of chronic exposure (5 months) to static magnetic field (110 mT; SMF) and extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF MF; 10 mT, 50 Hz) on Blaptica dubia nymphs. We have examined acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) level, two sensitive biomarkers of stress in terrestrial insects. Relative growth rate (RGR), as a life history trait, was estimated. AChE activity was determined spectrophotometrically and HSP70 levels were quantified using indirect non-competitive ELISA and Western blotting. Calculated RGR was significantly changed upon exposure to both types of ambiental MFs. The effects of chronic exposure of B. dubia nymphs to SMF and ELF MF (50 Hz) were observed as decreased activity of AChE. The increased level of HSP70 was present only after exposure to SMF. The strength of ELF MF was most likely below the energy level needed to induce the expression of this stress protein. Different patterns of the expression of two HSP70 isoforms, where isoform 2 was sensitive only to SMF, are most likely a possibly switch - off in the expression of constitutive and/or inducible HSP70 isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa Ilijin
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
| | - Marija Mrdaković
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
| | - Dajana Todorović
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
| | - Milena Vlahović
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
| | - Anja Grčić
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Filipović
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
| | - Vesna Perić-Mataruga
- University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Serbia
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23
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Lee KS, Dumke R, Paterek T. Numerical tests of magnetoreception models assisted with behavioral experiments on American cockroaches. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12221. [PMID: 34108599 PMCID: PMC8190300 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91815-x] [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: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animals display sensitivity to external magnetic field, but it is only in the simplest organisms that the sensing mechanism is understood. Here we report on behavioural experiments where American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) were subjected to periodically rotated external magnetic fields with a period of 10 min. The insects show increased activity when placed in a periodically rotated Earth-strength field, whereas this effect is diminished in a twelve times stronger periodically rotated field. We analyse established models of magnetoreception, the magnetite model and the radical pair model, in light of this adaptation result. A broad class of magnetite models, based on single-domain particles found in insects and assumption that better alignment of magnetic grains towards the external field yields better sensing and higher insect activity, is shown to be excluded by the measured data. The radical-pair model explains the data if we assume that contrast in the chemical yield on the order of one in a thousand is perceivable by the animal, and that there also exists a threshold value for detection, attained in an Earth-strength field but not in the stronger field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sheng Lee
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371 Singapore
| | - Rainer Dumke
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371 Singapore ,grid.4280.e0000 0001 2180 6431Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543 Singapore
| | - Tomasz Paterek
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371 Singapore ,grid.8585.00000 0001 2370 4076Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Informatics, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
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24
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Wang Y, Veglia G, Zhong D, Gao J. Activation mechanism of Drosophila cryptochrome through an allosteric switch. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/25/eabg3815. [PMID: 34144991 PMCID: PMC8213227 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg3815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cryptochromes are signaling proteins activated by photoexcitation of the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor. Although extensive research has been performed, the mechanism for this allosteric process is still unknown. We constructed three computational models, corresponding to different redox states of the FAD cofactor in Drosophila cryptochrome (dCRY). Analyses of the dynamics trajectories reveal that the activation process occurs in the semiquinone state FAD-●, resulting from excited-state electron transfer. The Arg381-Asp410 salt bridge acts as an allosteric switch, regulated by the change in the redox state of FAD. In turn, Asp410 forms new hydrogen bonds, connecting allosteric networks of the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal domains initially separated in the resting state. The expansion to a global dynamic network leads to enhanced protein fluctuations, an increase in the radius of gyration, and the expulsion of the carboxyl-terminal tail. These structural features are in accord with mutations and spectroscopic experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Gianluigi Veglia
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Dongping Zhong
- Departments of Physics and Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Jiali Gao
- Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
- Institute of Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
- Beijing University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
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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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26
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Wan G, Hayden AN, Iiams SE, Merlin C. Cryptochrome 1 mediates light-dependent inclination magnetosensing in monarch butterflies. Nat Commun 2021; 12:771. [PMID: 33536422 PMCID: PMC7859408 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21002-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals use the Earth's geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation. Yet, the molecular and cellular underpinnings of the magnetic sense remain largely unknown. A biophysical model proposed that magnetoreception can be achieved through quantum effects of magnetically-sensitive radical pairs formed by the photoexcitation of cryptochrome (CRY) proteins. Studies in Drosophila are the only ones to date to have provided compelling evidence for the ultraviolet (UV)-A/blue light-sensitive type 1 CRY (CRY1) involvement in animal magnetoreception, and surprisingly extended this discovery to the light-insensitive mammalian-like type 2 CRYs (CRY2s) of both monarchs and humans. Here, we show that monarchs respond to a reversal of the inclination of the Earth's magnetic field in an UV-A/blue light and CRY1, but not CRY2, dependent manner. We further demonstrate that both antennae and eyes, which express CRY1, are magnetosensory organs. Our work argues that only light-sensitive CRYs function in animal light-dependent inclination-based magnetic sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guijun Wan
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. .,Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Ashley N Hayden
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Samantha E Iiams
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.,Genetics Interdisciplinary Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Christine Merlin
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. .,Genetics Interdisciplinary Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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Wan GJ, Jiang SL, Zhang M, Zhao JY, Zhang YC, Pan WD, Sword GA, Chen FJ. Geomagnetic field absence reduces adult body weight of a migratory insect by disrupting feeding behavior and appetite regulation. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:251-260. [PMID: 32065478 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The geomagnetic field (GMF) is well documented for its essential role as a cue used in animal orientation or navigation. Recent evidence indicates that the absence of GMF (mimicked by the near-zero magnetic field, NZMF) can trigger stress-like responses such as reduced body weight, as we have previously shown in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. In this study, we found that consistent with the significantly decreased body weight of newly emerged female (-14.67%) and male (-13.17%) adult N. lugens, the duration of the phloem ingestion feeding waveform was significantly reduced by 32.02% in 5th instar nymphs reared under the NZMF versus GMF. Interestingly, 5th instar nymphs that exhibited reduced feeding had significantly higher glucose levels (+16.98% and +20.05%; 24 h and 48 h after molting), which are associated with food aversion, and expression patterns of their appetite-related neuropeptide genes (neuropeptide F, down-regulated overall; short neuropeptide F, down-regulated overall; adipokinetic hormone, up-regulated overall; and adipokinetic hormone receptor, down-regulated overall) were also altered under the absence of GMF in a manner consistent with diminishing appetite. Moreover, the expressions of the potential magnetosensor cryptochromes (Crys) were found significantly altered under the absence of GMF, indicating the likely upstream signaling of the Cry-mediated magnetoreception mechanisms. These findings support the hypothesis that strong changes in GMF intensity can reduce adult body weight through affecting insect feeding behavior and underlying regulatory processes including appetite regulation. Our results highlight that GMF could be necessary for the maintenance of energy homeostasis in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Jun Wan
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shou-Lin Jiang
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing-Yu Zhao
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying-Chao Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei-Dong Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gregory A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, U.S.A
| | - Fa-Jun Chen
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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28
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Falcón J, Torriglia A, Attia D, Viénot F, Gronfier C, Behar-Cohen F, Martinsons C, Hicks D. Exposure to Artificial Light at Night and the Consequences for Flora, Fauna, and Ecosystems. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:602796. [PMID: 33304237 PMCID: PMC7701298 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.602796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The present review draws together wide-ranging studies performed over the last decades that catalogue the effects of artificial-light-at-night (ALAN) upon living species and their environment. We provide an overview of the tremendous variety of light-detection strategies which have evolved in living organisms - unicellular, plants and animals, covering chloroplasts (plants), and the plethora of ocular and extra-ocular organs (animals). We describe the visual pigments which permit photo-detection, paying attention to their spectral characteristics, which extend from the ultraviolet into infrared. We discuss how organisms use light information in a way crucial for their development, growth and survival: phototropism, phototaxis, photoperiodism, and synchronization of circadian clocks. These aspects are treated in depth, as their perturbation underlies much of the disruptive effects of ALAN. The review goes into detail on circadian networks in living organisms, since these fundamental features are of critical importance in regulating the interface between environment and body. Especially, hormonal synthesis and secretion are often under circadian and circannual control, hence perturbation of the clock will lead to hormonal imbalance. The review addresses how the ubiquitous introduction of light-emitting diode technology may exacerbate, or in some cases reduce, the generalized ever-increasing light pollution. Numerous examples are given of how widespread exposure to ALAN is perturbing many aspects of plant and animal behaviour and survival: foraging, orientation, migration, seasonal reproduction, colonization and more. We examine the potential problems at the level of individual species and populations and extend the debate to the consequences for ecosystems. We stress, through a few examples, the synergistic harmful effects resulting from the impacts of ALAN combined with other anthropogenic pressures, which often impact the neuroendocrine loops in vertebrates. The article concludes by debating how these anthropogenic changes could be mitigated by more reasonable use of available technology - for example by restricting illumination to more essential areas and hours, directing lighting to avoid wasteful radiation and selecting spectral emissions, to reduce impact on circadian clocks. We end by discussing how society should take into account the potentially major consequences that ALAN has on the natural world and the repercussions for ongoing human health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Falcón
- Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), MNHN, CNRS FRE 2030, SU, IRD 207, UCN, UA, Paris, France
| | - Alicia Torriglia
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U 1138, Ophtalmopole Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris - SU, Paris, France
| | - Dina Attia
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Claude Gronfier
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Waking Team, Inserm UMRS 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Francine Behar-Cohen
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U 1138, Ophtalmopole Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris - SU, Paris, France
| | | | - David Hicks
- Inserm, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Fleischmann PN, Grob R, Rössler W. Magnetoreception in Hymenoptera: importance for navigation. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:1051-1061. [PMID: 32975654 PMCID: PMC7700068 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01431-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of information provided by the geomagnetic field (GMF) for navigation is widespread across the animal kingdom. At the same time, the magnetic sense is one of the least understood senses. Here, we review evidence for magnetoreception in Hymenoptera. We focus on experiments aiming to shed light on the role of the GMF for navigation. Both honeybees and desert ants are well-studied experimental models for navigation, and both use the GMF for specific navigational tasks under certain conditions. Cataglyphis desert ants use the GMF as a compass cue for path integration during their initial learning walks to align their gaze directions towards the nest entrance. This represents the first example for the use of the GMF in an insect species for a genuine navigational task under natural conditions and with all other navigational cues available. We argue that the recently described magnetic compass in Cataglyphis opens up a new integrative approach to understand the mechanisms underlying magnetoreception in Hymenoptera on different biological levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline N Fleischmann
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Robin Grob
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Rössler
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
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30
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Otsuka H, Mitsui H, Miura K, Okano K, Imamoto Y, Okano T. Rapid Oxidation Following Photoreduction in the Avian Cryptochrome4 Photocycle. Biochemistry 2020; 59:3615-3625. [PMID: 32915550 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Avian magnetoreception is assumed to occur in the retina. Although its molecular mechanism is unclear, magnetic field-dependent formation and the stability of radical-containing photointermediate(s) are suggested to play key roles in a hypothesis called the radical pair mechanism. Chicken cryptochrome4 (cCRY4) has been identified as a candidate magnetoreceptive molecule due to its expression in the retina and its ability to form stable flavin neutral radicals (FADH●) upon blue light absorption. Herein, we used millisecond flash photolysis to investigate the cCRY4 photocycle, in both the presence and absence of dithiothreitol (DTT); detecting the anion radical form of FAD (FAD●-) under both conditions. Using spectral data obtained during flash photolysis and UV-visible photospectroscopy, we estimated the absolute absorbance spectra of the photointermediates, thus allowing us to decompose each spectrum into its individual components. Notably, in the absence of DTT, approximately 37% and 63% of FAD●- was oxidized to FADOX and protonated to form FADH●, respectively. Singular value decomposition analysis suggested the presence of two FAD●- molecular species, each of which was destined to be oxidized to FADOX or protonated to FADH●. A tyrosine neutral radical was also detected; however, it likely decayed concomitantly with the oxidation of FAD●-. On the basis of these results, we considered the occurrence of bifurcation prior to FAD●- generation, or during FAD●- oxidization, and discussed the potential role played by the tyrosine radical in the radical pair mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Otsuka
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, Wakamatsucho 2-2, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Mitsui
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, Wakamatsucho 2-2, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Kota Miura
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, Wakamatsucho 2-2, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Keiko Okano
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, Wakamatsucho 2-2, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Yasushi Imamoto
- Department of Biophysics, Division of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Okano
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Bioscience, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, Wakamatsucho 2-2, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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31
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Moderate static magnetic fields enhance antitumor CD8 + T cell function by promoting mitochondrial respiration. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14519. [PMID: 32884074 PMCID: PMC7471296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71566-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
With the discovery of magnetoreceptor mechanisms in animals, it materialized the novel applications of controlling cell and animal behaviors using magnetic fields. T cells have shown to be sensitive to magnetic fields. Here, we reported that exposure to moderate SMFs (static magnetic fields) led to increased granule and cytokine secretion as well as ATP production and mitochondrial respiration from CD8+ T cells. These effects were inhibited by knocking down the Uqcrb and Ndufs6 genes of mitochondrial respiratory chain, whose transcriptions were regulated by candidate magnetoreceptor genes Isca1 and Cry1/Cry2. SMF exposure also promoted CD8+ T cell granule and cytokine secretion and repressed tumor growth in vivo. SMFs enhanced CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity, and the adoptive transfer into tumor-bearing mice resulted in enhanced antitumor effects. Collectively, our study suggests that moderate SMFs enhance CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity by promoting mitochondrial respiration and promoted the antitumor function of CD8+ T cells.
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32
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Arabidopsis cryptochrome is responsive to Radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11260. [PMID: 32647192 PMCID: PMC7347919 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67165-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
How living systems respond to weak electromagnetic fields represents one of the major unsolved challenges in sensory biology. Recent evidence has implicated cryptochrome, an evolutionarily conserved flavoprotein receptor, in magnetic field responses of organisms ranging from plants to migratory birds. However, whether cryptochromes fulfill the criteria to function as biological magnetosensors remains to be established. Currently, theoretical predictions on the underlying mechanism of chemical magnetoreception have been supported by experimental observations that exposure to radiofrequency (RF) in the MHz range disrupt bird orientation and mammalian cellular respiration. Here we show that, in keeping with certain quantum physical hypotheses, a weak 7 MHz radiofrequency magnetic field significantly reduces the biological responsivity to blue light of the cryptochrome receptor cry1 in Arabidopsis seedlings. Using an in vivo phosphorylation assay that specifically detects activated cryptochrome, we demonstrate that RF exposure reduces conformational changes associated with biological activity. RF exposure furthermore alters cryptochrome-dependent plant growth responses and gene expression to a degree consistent with theoretical predictions. To our knowledge this represents the first demonstration of a biological receptor responding to RF exposure, providing important new implications for magnetosensing as well as possible future applications in biotechnology and medicine.
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Wan G, Liu R, Li C, He J, Pan W, Sword GA, Hu G, Chen F. Change in geomagnetic field intensity alters migration-associated traits in a migratory insect. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190940. [PMID: 32343935 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Geomagnetic field (GMF) intensity can be used by some animals to determine their position during migration. However, its role, if any, in mediating other migration-related phenotypes remains largely unknown. Here, we simulated variation in GMF intensity between two locations along the migration route of a nocturnal insect migrant, the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, that varied by approximately 5 µT in field intensity. After one generation of exposure, we tested for changes in key morphological, behavioural and physiological traits related to migratory performance, including wing dimorphism, flight capacity and positive phototaxis. Our results showed that all three morphological and behavioural phenotypes responded to a small difference in magnetic field intensity. Consistent magnetic responses in the expression of the phototaxis-related Drosophila-like cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) gene and levels of two primary energy substrates used during flight, triglyceride and trehalose, were also found. Our findings indicate changes in GMF intensity can alter the expression of phenotypes critical for insect migration and highlight the unique role of magnetoreception as a trait that may help migratory insects express potentially beneficial phenotypes in geographically variable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guijun Wan
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiying Liu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunxu Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinglan He
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Weidong Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China
| | - Gregory A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Gao Hu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Fajun Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China
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Damulewicz M, Mazzotta GM. One Actor, Multiple Roles: The Performances of Cryptochrome in Drosophila. Front Physiol 2020; 11:99. [PMID: 32194430 PMCID: PMC7066326 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) are flavoproteins that are sensitive to blue light, first identified in Arabidopsis and then in Drosophila and mice. They are evolutionarily conserved and play fundamental roles in the circadian clock of living organisms, enabling them to adapt to the daily 24-h cycles. The role of CRYs in circadian clocks differs among different species: in plants, they have a blue light-sensing activity whereas in mammals they act as light-independent transcriptional repressors within the circadian clock. These two different functions are accomplished by two principal types of CRYs, the light-sensitive plant/insect type 1 CRY and the mammalian type 2 CRY acting as a negative autoregulator in the molecular circadian clockwork. Drosophila melanogaster possesses just one CRY, belonging to type 1 CRYs. Nevertheless, this single CRY appears to have different functions, specific to different organs, tissues, and even subset of cells in which it is expressed. In this review, we will dissect the multiple roles of this single CRY in Drosophila, focusing on the regulatory mechanisms that make its pleiotropy possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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35
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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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Singh S, Giesecke A, Damulewicz M, Fexova S, Mazzotta GM, Stanewsky R, Dolezel D. New Drosophila Circadian Clock Mutants Affecting Temperature Compensation Induced by Targeted Mutagenesis of Timeless. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1442. [PMID: 31849700 PMCID: PMC6901700 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster has served as an excellent genetic model to decipher the molecular basis of the circadian clock. Two key proteins, PERIOD (PER) and TIMELESS (TIM), are particularly well explored and a number of various arrhythmic, slow, and fast clock mutants have been identified in classical genetic screens. Interestingly, the free running period (tau, τ) is influenced by temperature in some of these mutants, whereas τ is temperature-independent in other mutant lines as in wild-type flies. This, so-called "temperature compensation" ability is compromised in the mutant timeless allele "ritsu" (tim rit ), and, as we show here, also in the tim blind allele, mapping to the same region of TIM. To test if this region of TIM is indeed important for temperature compensation, we generated a collection of new mutants and mapped functional protein domains involved in the regulation of τ and in general clock function. We developed a protocol for targeted mutagenesis of specific gene regions utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, followed by behavioral screening. In this pilot study, we identified 20 new timeless mutant alleles with various impairments of temperature compensation. Molecular characterization revealed that the mutations included short in-frame insertions, deletions, or substitutions of a few amino acids resulting from the non-homologous end joining repair process. Our protocol is a fast and cost-efficient systematic approach for functional analysis of protein-coding genes and promoter analysis in vivo. Interestingly, several mutations with a strong temperature compensation defect map to one specific region of TIM. Although the exact mechanism of how these mutations affect TIM function is as yet unknown, our in silico analysis suggests they affect a putative nuclear export signal (NES) and phosphorylation sites of TIM. Immunostaining for PER was performed on two TIM mutants that display longer τ at 25°C and complete arrhythmicity at 28°C. Consistently with the behavioral phenotype, PER immunoreactivity was reduced in circadian clock neurons of flies exposed to elevated temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samarjeet Singh
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Astrid Giesecke
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Cell Biology and Imaging, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Silvie Fexova
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Gabriella M. Mazzotta
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Ralf Stanewsky
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Münster, Germany
| | - David Dolezel
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
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Mansourian S, Fandino RA, Riabinina O. Progress in the use of genetic methods to study insect behavior outside Drosophila. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 36:45-56. [PMID: 31494407 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the span of a decade we have seen a rapid progress in the application of genetic tools and genome editing approaches in 'non-model' insects. It is now possible to target sensory receptor genes and neurons, explore their functional roles and manipulate behavioral responses in these insects. In this review, we focus on the latest examples from Diptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera of how applications of genetic tools advanced our understanding of diverse behavioral phenomena. We further discuss genetic methods that could be applied to study insect behavior in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard A Fandino
- Mass Spectrometry Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
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38
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Yang L, Liu Y, Donkersley P, Xu P. Up-regulation of cryptochrome 1 gene expression in cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa armigera) during migration over the Bohai Sea. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8071. [PMID: 31741806 PMCID: PMC6859876 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) are flavoproteins and play a pivotal role in circadian clocks which mediate behavior of organisms such as feeding, mating and migrating navigation. Herein, we identified novel transcripts in Helicoverpa armigera of six isoforms of cry1 and seven isoforms of cry2 by Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the transcripts of cry1 and cry2 align closely with other insect crys, indicating within-species divergence of Hacry. A dn/ds analysis revealed that the encoding sequence of the cry1 was under purifying selection by a strong negative selection pressure whereas the cry2 was less constraint and showed a less strong purification selection than cry1. In general, Hacrys were more abundantly transcribed in wild migrating populations than that in laboratory maintained populations, and expression of the cry2 was lower than cry1 in all samples tested. Moreover, when compared with the migrating parental population, offspring reared in laboratory conditions showed a significant reduction on transcription of the cry1 but not cry2. These results strongly suggest that cry1 was more related to the migration behavior of H. armigera than cry2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyu Yang
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tobacco Research Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yingjie Liu
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tobacco Research Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | | | - Pengjun Xu
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tobacco Research Institute, Qingdao, Shandong, China
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39
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Bouché NF, McConway K. Melatonin Levels and Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields in Humans and Rats: New Insights From a Bayesian Logistic Regression. Bioelectromagnetics 2019; 40:539-552. [PMID: 31564068 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The present analysis revisits the impact of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) on melatonin (MLT) levels in human and rat subjects using both a parametric and non-parametric approach. In this analysis, we use 62 studies from review articles. The parametric approach consists of a Bayesian logistic regression (LR) analysis and the non-parametric approach consists of a Support Vector analysis, both of which are robust against spurious/false results. Both approaches reveal a unique well-ordered pattern, and show that human and rat studies are consistent with each other once the MF strength is restricted to cover the same range (with B ≲ 50 μT). In addition, the data reveal that chronic exposure (longer than ∼22 days) to ELF-MF appears to decrease MLT levels only when the MF strength is below a threshold of ~30 μT ( log B thr [ μ T ] = 1 . 4 - 0 . 4 + 0 . 7 ), i.e., when the man-made ELF-MF intensity is below that of the static geomagnetic field. Studies reporting an association between ELF-MF and changes to MLT levels and the opposite (no association with ELF-MF) can be reconciled under a single framework. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019;40:539-552. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas F Bouché
- Univ Lyon, Univ Lyon1, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Astrophysique de Lyon UMR5574, Saint-Genis-Laval, France
| | - Kevin McConway
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The Open University, Milton Keys, UK
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40
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Bartos P, Netusil R, Slaby P, Dolezel D, Ritz T, Vacha M. Weak radiofrequency fields affect the insect circadian clock. J R Soc Interface 2019; 16:20190285. [PMID: 31530135 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that the circadian clock in Drosophila can be sensitive to static magnetic fields (MFs). Man-made radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields have been shown to have effects on animal orientation responses at remarkably weak intensities in the nanotesla range. Here, we tested if weak broadband RF fields also affect the circadian rhythm of the German cockroach (Blatella germanica). We observed that static MFs slow down the cockroach clock rhythm under dim UV light, consistent with results on the Drosophila circadian clock. Remarkably, 300 times weaker RF fields likewise slowed down the cockroach clock in a near-zero static magnetic field. This demonstrates that the internal clock of organisms can be sensitive to weak RF fields, consequently opening the possibility of an influence of man-made RF fields on many clock-dependent events in living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premysl Bartos
- Department of Experimental Biology, Section of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Netusil
- Department of Experimental Biology, Section of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Slaby
- Department of Experimental Biology, Section of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
| | - David Dolezel
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Thorsten Ritz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Martin Vacha
- Department of Experimental Biology, Section of Animal Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
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41
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Atkins C, Bajpai K, Rumball J, Kattnig DR. On the optimal relative orientation of radicals in the cryptochrome magnetic compass. J Chem Phys 2019. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5115445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chadsley Atkins
- Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, United Kingdom
| | - Kieran Bajpai
- Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Rumball
- Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel R. Kattnig
- Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, United Kingdom
- Living Systems Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
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42
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Todorović D, Ilijin L, Mrdaković M, Vlahović M, Filipović A, Grčić A, Perić-Mataruga V. Long-term exposure of cockroach Blaptica dubia (Insecta: Blaberidae) nymphs to magnetic fields of different characteristics: effects on antioxidant biomarkers and nymphal gut mass. Int J Radiat Biol 2019; 95:1185-1193. [PMID: 30822251 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2019.1589017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: The main goal of this study was to analyze the long-term effects of static (SMF) and extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF MF) on nymphal gut mass and antioxidant biomarkers in this tissue of cockroach Blaptica dubia. Materials and methods: One-month-old nymphs were exposed to magnetic field (MF) for 5 months in three experimental groups: control, exposure to SMF (110 mT) and exposure to ELF MF (50 Hz, 10 mT). Results: The gut masses of the MF groups were significantly lower when compared to control. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were markedly higher than for the control and the differences between the MF groups were statistically significant only for SOD. The applied MF had no effect on total glutathione (GSH) content. Glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were significantly lower in both MF groups in comparison to the control. There was a significant difference between MF groups for GR activity. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that CAT and GST were the main factors contributing to the differentiation of the control group from the treated experimental groups along PCA 1, and SOD and GR along PCA 2. PCA revealed clear separation between experimental groups depends on antioxidant biomarker response. Conclusion: The applied magnetic fields could be considered a potential stressor influencing gut mass, as well as examined antioxidative biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajana Todorović
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Larisa Ilijin
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Marija Mrdaković
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Milena Vlahović
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Filipović
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Anja Grčić
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
| | - Vesna Perić-Mataruga
- a Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
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43
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Chae KS, Oh IT, Lee SH, Kim SC. Blue light-dependent human magnetoreception in geomagnetic food orientation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211826. [PMID: 30763322 PMCID: PMC6375564 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Earth's geomagnetic field (GMF) is known to influence magnetoreceptive creatures, from bacteria to mammals as a sensory cue or a physiological modulator, despite it is largely thought that humans cannot sense the GMF. Here, we show that humans sense the GMF to orient their direction toward food in a self-rotatory chair experiment. Starved men, but not women, significantly oriented toward the ambient/modulated magnetic north or east, directions which had been previously food-associated, without any other helpful cues, including sight and sound. The orientation was reproduced under blue light but was abolished under a blindfold or a longer wavelength light (> 500 nm), indicating that blue light is necessary for magnetic orientation. Importantly, inversion of the vertical component of the GMF resulted in orientation toward the magnetic south and blood glucose levels resulting from food appeared to act as a motivator for sensing a magnetic field direction. The results demonstrate that male humans sense GMF in a blue light-dependent manner and suggest that the geomagnetic orientations are mediated by an inclination compass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwon-Seok Chae
- Department of Biology Education Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Taek Oh
- Department of Biology Education Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hyup Lee
- Department of Biology Education Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Chan Kim
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Institute for IT Convergence, Hankyong National University, Anseong, Republic of Korea
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44
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Worster SB, Hore PJ. Proposal to use superparamagnetic nanoparticles to test the role of cryptochrome in magnetoreception. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20180587. [PMID: 30381345 PMCID: PMC6228473 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence is accumulating to support the hypothesis that some animals use light-induced radical pairs to detect the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Cryptochrome proteins seem to be involved in the sensory pathway but it is not yet clear if they are the magnetic sensors: they could, instead, play a non-magnetic role as signal transducers downstream of the primary sensor. Here we propose an experiment with the potential to distinguish these functions. The principle is to use superparamagnetic nanoparticles to disable any magnetic sensing role by enhancing the electron spin relaxation of the radicals so as to destroy their spin correlation. We use spin dynamics simulations to show that magnetoferritin, a synthetic, protein-based nanoparticle, has the required properties. If cryptochrome is the primary sensor, then it should be inactivated by a magnetoferritin particle placed 12-16 nm away. This would prevent a bird from using its magnetic compass in behavioural tests and abolish magnetically sensitive neuronal firing in the retina. The key advantage of such an experiment is that any signal transduction role should be completely unaffected by the tiny magnetic interactions (≪kBT) required to enhance the spin relaxation of the radical pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susannah Bourne Worster
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - P J Hore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
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45
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Hong G, Pachter R, Ritz T. Coupling Drosophila melanogaster Cryptochrome Light Activation and Oxidation of the Kvβ Subunit Hyperkinetic NADPH Cofactor. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:6503-6510. [PMID: 29847128 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b03493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Motivated by the observations on the involvement of light-induced processes in the Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome (DmCry) in regulation of the neuronal firing rate, which is achieved by a redox-state change of its voltage-dependent K+ channel Kvβ subunit hyperkinetic (Hk) reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cofactor, we propose in this work two hypothetical pathways that may potentially enable such coupling. In the first pathway, triggered by blue-light-induced formation of a radical pair [FAD•-TRP•+] in DmCry, the hole (TRP•+) may hop to Hk, for example, through a tryptophan chain and oxidize NADPH, possibly leading to inhibition of the N-terminus inactivation in the K+ channel. In a second possible pathway, DmCry's FAD•- is reoxidized by molecular oxygen, producing H2O2, which then diffuses to Hk and oxidizes NADPH. In this work, by applying a combination of quantum and empirical-based methods for free-energy calculations, we find that the oxidation of NADPH by TRP•+ or H2O2 and the reoxidation of FAD•- by O2 are thermodynamically feasible. Our results may have an implication in identifying a magnetic sensing signal transduction pathway, specifically upon Drosophila's Hk NADPH cofactor oxidation, with a subsequent inhibition of the K+ channel N-terminus inactivation gate, permitting K+ flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongyi Hong
- Air Force Research Laboratory , Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Dayton , Ohio 45433-7702 , United States
| | - Ruth Pachter
- Air Force Research Laboratory , Wright-Patterson Air Force Base , Dayton , Ohio 45433-7702 , United States
| | - Thorsten Ritz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , University of California , Irvine , California 92697-4575 , United States
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46
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Slaby P, Bartos P, Karas J, Netusil R, Tomanova K, Vacha M. How Swift Is Cry-Mediated Magnetoreception? Conditioning in an American Cockroach Shows Sub-second Response. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:107. [PMID: 29892217 PMCID: PMC5985609 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse animal species perceive Earth’s magnetism and use their magnetic sense to orientate and navigate. Even non-migrating insects such as fruit flies and cockroaches have been shown to exploit the flavoprotein Cryptochrome (Cry) as a likely magnetic direction sensor; however, the transduction mechanism remains unknown. In order to work as a system to steer insect flight or control locomotion, the magnetic sense must transmit the signal from the receptor cells to the brain at a similar speed to other sensory systems, presumably within hundreds of milliseconds or less. So far, no electrophysiological or behavioral study has tackled the problem of the transduction delay in case of Cry-mediated magnetoreception specifically. Here, using a novel aversive conditioning assay on an American cockroach, we show that magnetic transduction is executed within a sub-second time span. A series of inter-stimulus intervals between conditioned stimuli (magnetic North rotation) and unconditioned aversive stimuli (hot air flow) provides original evidence that Cry-mediated magnetic transduction is sufficiently rapid to mediate insect orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Slaby
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Premysl Bartos
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Karas
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Radek Netusil
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Kateřina Tomanova
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Martin Vacha
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
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47
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Björn LO. Photoenzymes and Related Topics: An Update. Photochem Photobiol 2018; 94:459-465. [PMID: 29441583 DOI: 10.1111/php.12892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Photoenzymes are enzymes that catalyze photochemical reactions. For a long time, it was believed that only two types of photoenzymes exist: light-dependent NADPH:protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase and photolyase. However, other photoenzymes have now been discovered, most recently fatty acid photodecarboxylase.
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48
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Kong LJ, Crepaz H, Górecka A, Urbanek A, Dumke R, Paterek T. In-vivo biomagnetic characterisation of the American cockroach. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5140. [PMID: 29572509 PMCID: PMC5865160 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23005-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a quantitative method, utilising a highly sensitive quantum sensor, that extends applicability of magnetorelaxometry to biological samples at physiological temperature. The observed magnetic fields allow for non-invasive determination of physical properties of magnetic materials and their surrounding environment inside the specimen. The method is applied to American cockroaches and reveals magnetic deposits with strikingly different behaviour in alive and dead insects. We discuss consequences of this finding to cockroach magneto-reception. To our knowledge, this work represents the first characterisation of the magnetisation dynamics in live insects and helps to connect results from behavioural experiments on insects in magnetic fields with characterisation of magnetic materials in their corpses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Jun Kong
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Herbert Crepaz
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Agnieszka Górecka
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Melbourne, 3800, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Urbanek
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, 80-308, Poland
| | - Rainer Dumke
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Tomasz Paterek
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637371, Singapore. .,Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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49
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Pinzon-Rodriguez A, Bensch S, Muheim R. Expression patterns of cryptochrome genes in avian retina suggest involvement of Cry4 in light-dependent magnetoreception. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20180058. [PMID: 29593090 PMCID: PMC5908540 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The light-dependent magnetic compass of birds provides orientation information about the spatial alignment of the geomagnetic field. It is proposed to be located in the avian retina, and be mediated by a light-induced, biochemical radical-pair mechanism involving cryptochromes as putative receptor molecules. At the same time, cryptochromes are known for their role in the negative feedback loop in the circadian clock. We measured gene expression of Cry1, Cry2 and Cry4 in the retina, muscle and brain of zebra finches over the circadian day to assess whether they showed any circadian rhythmicity. We hypothesized that retinal cryptochromes involved in magnetoreception should be expressed at a constant level over the circadian day, because birds use a light-dependent magnetic compass for orientation not only during migration, but also for spatial orientation tasks in their daily life. Cryptochromes serving in circadian tasks, on the other hand, are expected to be expressed in a rhythmic (circadian) pattern. Cry1 and Cry2 displayed a daily variation in the retina as expected for circadian clock genes, while Cry4 expressed at constant levels over time. We conclude that Cry4 is the most likely candidate magnetoreceptor of the light-dependent magnetic compass in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 223 62, Sweden
| | - Rachel Muheim
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, Lund 223 62, Sweden
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50
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Jiang YD, Yuan X, Zhou WW, Bai YL, Wang GY, Zhu ZR. Cryptochrome Regulates Circadian Locomotor Rhythms in the Small Brown Planthopper Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén). Front Physiol 2018; 9:149. [PMID: 29541034 PMCID: PMC5835671 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Most living organisms have developed internal circadian clocks to anticipate the daily environmental changes. The circadian clocks are composed of several transcriptional-translational feedback loops, in which cryptochromes (CRYs) serve as critical elements. In insects, some CRYs act as photopigments to control circadian photoentrainment, while the others act as transcriptional regulators. We cloned and characterized two cryptochrome genes, the Drosophila-like (lscry1) and vertebrate-like (lscry2) genes, in a rice pest Laodelphax striatellus. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that lscry1 and lscry2 expressed ubiquitously from nymph to adult stages as well as in different tissues. The transcript levels of lscry2 fluctuated in a circadian manner. Constant light led to arrhythmic locomotor activities in L. striatellus. It also inhibited the mRNA oscillation of lscry2 and promoted the transcription of lscry1. Knockdown of lscry1 or lscry2 by RNA interference (RNAi) reduced the rhythmicity of L. striatellus in constant darkness, but not in light dark cycles. These results suggested that lscry1 and lscry2 were putative circadian clock genes of L. striatellus, involved in the regulation of locomotor rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Zeng-Rong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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