1
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Kyriacou CP. Magnetic field responses in Drosophila. Nature 2024; 629:E3-E5. [PMID: 38693416 PMCID: PMC11062905 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07320-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Charalambos P Kyriacou
- Neurogenetics Group, Department of Genetics & Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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2
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Reppert SM. Magnetic field effects on behaviour in Drosophila. Nature 2024; 629:E1-E2. [PMID: 38693417 PMCID: PMC11062911 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Reppert
- Department of Neurobiology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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3
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Aguida B, Babo J, Baouz S, Jourdan N, Procopio M, El-Esawi MA, Engle D, Mills S, Wenkel S, Huck A, Berg-Sørensen K, Kampranis SC, Link J, Ahmad M. 'Seeing' the electromagnetic spectrum: spotlight on the cryptochrome photocycle. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1340304. [PMID: 38495372 PMCID: PMC10940379 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1340304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Cryptochromes are widely dispersed flavoprotein photoreceptors that regulate numerous developmental responses to light in plants, as well as to stress and entrainment of the circadian clock in animals and humans. All cryptochromes are closely related to an ancient family of light-absorbing flavoenzymes known as photolyases, which use light as an energy source for DNA repair but themselves have no light sensing role. Here we review the means by which plant cryptochromes acquired a light sensing function. This transition involved subtle changes within the flavin binding pocket which gave rise to a visual photocycle consisting of light-inducible and dark-reversible flavin redox state transitions. In this photocycle, light first triggers flavin reduction from an initial dark-adapted resting state (FADox). The reduced state is the biologically active or 'lit' state, correlating with biological activity. Subsequently, the photoreduced flavin reoxidises back to the dark adapted or 'resting' state. Because the rate of reoxidation determines the lifetime of the signaling state, it significantly modulates biological activity. As a consequence of this redox photocycle Crys respond to both the wavelength and the intensity of light, but are in addition regulated by factors such as temperature, oxygen concentration, and cellular metabolites that alter rates of flavin reoxidation even independently of light. Mechanistically, flavin reduction is correlated with conformational change in the protein, which is thought to mediate biological activity through interaction with biological signaling partners. In addition, a second, entirely independent signaling mechanism arises from the cryptochrome photocycle in the form of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These are synthesized during flavin reoxidation, are known mediators of biotic and abiotic stress responses, and have been linked to Cry biological activity in plants and animals. Additional special properties arising from the cryptochrome photocycle include responsivity to electromagnetic fields and their applications in optogenetics. Finally, innovations in methodology such as the use of Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) diamond centers to follow cryptochrome magnetic field sensitivity in vivo are discussed, as well as the potential for a whole new technology of 'magneto-genetics' for future applications in synthetic biology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanche Aguida
- Unite Mixed de Recherche (UMR) Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 8256 (B2A), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Jonathan Babo
- Unite Mixed de Recherche (UMR) Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 8256 (B2A), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Soria Baouz
- Unite Mixed de Recherche (UMR) Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 8256 (B2A), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Jourdan
- Unite Mixed de Recherche (UMR) Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 8256 (B2A), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Maria Procopio
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Dorothy Engle
- Biology Department, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Stephen Mills
- Chemistry Department, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Stephan Wenkel
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Alexander Huck
- DTU Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Sotirios C. Kampranis
- Biochemical Engineering Group, Plant Biochemistry Section, Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Justin Link
- Physics and Engineering Department, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Margaret Ahmad
- Unite Mixed de Recherche (UMR) Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 8256 (B2A), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Biology Department, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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4
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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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5
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Thoradit T, Thongyoo K, Kamoltheptawin K, Tunprasert L, El-Esawi MA, Aguida B, Jourdan N, Buddhachat K, Pooam M. Cryptochrome and quantum biology: unraveling the mysteries of plant magnetoreception. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1266357. [PMID: 37860259 PMCID: PMC10583551 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1266357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of organisms to perceive and respond to Earth's magnetic field, has captivated scientists for decades, particularly within the field of quantum biology. In the plant science, the exploration of the complicated interplay between quantum phenomena and classical biology in the context of plant magnetoreception has emerged as an attractive area of research. This comprehensive review investigates into three prominent theoretical models: the Radical Pair Mechanism (RPM), the Level Crossing Mechanism (LCM), and the Magnetite-based MagR theory in plants. While examining the advantages, limitations, and challenges associated with each model, this review places a particular weight on the RPM, highlighting its well-established role of cryptochromes and in-vivo experiments on light-independent plant magnetoreception. However, alternative mechanisms such as the LCM and the MagR theory are objectively presented as convincing perspectives that permit further investigation. To shed light on these theoretical frameworks, this review proposes experimental approaches including cutting-edge experimental techniques. By integrating these approaches, a comprehensive understanding of the complex mechanisms driving plant magnetoreception can be achieved, lending support to the fundamental principle in the RPM. In conclusion, this review provides a panoramic overview of plant magnetoreception, highlighting the exciting potential of quantum biology in unraveling the mysteries of magnetoreception. As researchers embark on this captivating scientific journey, the doors to deciphering the diverse mechanisms of magnetoreception in plants stand wide open, offering a profound exploration of nature's adaptations to environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thawatchai Thoradit
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Kanjana Thongyoo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | | | - Lalin Tunprasert
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Material Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | | | - Blanche Aguida
- UMR CNRS 8256 Adaptation biologique et vieillissement (B2A), Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Jourdan
- UMR CNRS 8256 Adaptation biologique et vieillissement (B2A), Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Kittisak Buddhachat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Marootpong Pooam
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
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6
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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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7
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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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8
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Bassetto M, Reichl T, Kobylkov D, Kattnig DR, Winklhofer M, Hore PJ, Mouritsen H. No evidence for magnetic field effects on the behaviour of Drosophila. Nature 2023; 620:595-599. [PMID: 37558871 PMCID: PMC10432270 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Migratory songbirds have the remarkable ability to extract directional information from the Earth's magnetic field1,2. The exact mechanism of this light-dependent magnetic compass sense, however, is not fully understood. The most promising hypothesis focuses on the quantum spin dynamics of transient radical pairs formed in cryptochrome proteins in the retina3-5. Frustratingly, much of the supporting evidence for this theory is circumstantial, largely because of the extreme challenges posed by genetic modification of wild birds. Drosophila has therefore been recruited as a model organism, and several influential reports of cryptochrome-mediated magnetic field effects on fly behaviour have been widely interpreted as support for a radical pair-based mechanism in birds6-23. Here we report the results of an extensive study testing magnetic field effects on 97,658 flies moving in a two-arm maze and on 10,960 flies performing the spontaneous escape behaviour known as negative geotaxis. Under meticulously controlled conditions and with vast sample sizes, we have been unable to find evidence for magnetically sensitive behaviour in Drosophila. Moreover, after reassessment of the statistical approaches and sample sizes used in the studies that we tried to replicate, we suggest that many-if not all-of the original results were false positives. Our findings therefore cast considerable doubt on the existence of magnetic sensing in Drosophila and thus strongly suggest that night-migratory songbirds remain the organism of choice for elucidating the mechanism of light-dependent magnetoreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bassetto
- Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Reichl
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Dmitry Kobylkov
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Center for Mind/Brain Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Daniel R Kattnig
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael Winklhofer
- AG Sensory Biology of Animals, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - P J Hore
- Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
- Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
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9
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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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10
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Kawasaki H, Okano H, Ishiwatari H, Kishi T, Ishida N. A role of cryptochrome for magnetic field-dependent improvement of sleep quality, lifespan, and motor function in Drosophila. Genes Cells 2023. [PMID: 37096945 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the molecular genetic basis of animal magnet reception has been one of the big challenges in molecular biology. Recently it was discovered that the magnetic sense of Drosophila melanogaster is mediated by the ultraviolet (UV)-A/blue light photoreceptor cryptochrome (Cry). Here, using the fruit fly as a magnet-receptive model organism, we show that the magnetic field exposure (0.4-0.6 mT) extended lifespan under starvation, but not in cryptochrome mutant flies (cryb ). The magnetic field exposure increases motor function in wild type and neurodegenerative disease model flies. Furthermore, the magnetic field exposure improved sleep quality at night-time specific manner, but not in cryb . We also showed that repeated AC magnetic field exposure increased climbing activity in wild-type Drosophila, but not in cryb . The data suggests that magnetic field-dependent improvement of lifespan, sleep quality, and motor function is mediated through a cry-dependent pathway in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruhisa Kawasaki
- Institute for Chronobiology, Foundation for Advancement of International Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Advanced Institute of Innovative Technology, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | | | | | - Norio Ishida
- Institute for Chronobiology, Foundation for Advancement of International Science, Tsukuba, Japan
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11
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Bradlaugh AA, Fedele G, Munro AL, Hansen CN, Hares JM, Patel S, Kyriacou CP, Jones AR, Rosato E, Baines RA. Essential elements of radical pair magnetosensitivity in Drosophila. Nature 2023; 615:111-116. [PMID: 36813962 PMCID: PMC9977682 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05735-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Many animals use Earth's magnetic field (also known as the geomagnetic field) for navigation1. The favoured mechanism for magnetosensitivity involves a blue-light-activated electron-transfer reaction between flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and a chain of tryptophan residues within the photoreceptor protein CRYPTOCHROME (CRY). The spin-state of the resultant radical pair, and therefore the concentration of CRY in its active state, is influenced by the geomagnetic field2. However, the canonical CRY-centric radical-pair mechanism does not explain many physiological and behavioural observations2-8. Here, using electrophysiology and behavioural analyses, we assay magnetic-field responses at the single-neuron and organismal levels. We show that the 52 C-terminal amino acid residues of Drosophila melanogaster CRY, lacking the canonical FAD-binding domain and tryptophan chain, are sufficient to facilitate magnetoreception. We also show that increasing intracellular FAD potentiates both blue-light-induced and magnetic-field-dependent effects on the activity mediated by the C terminus. High levels of FAD alone are sufficient to cause blue-light neuronal sensitivity and, notably, the potentiation of this response in the co-presence of a magnetic field. These results reveal the essential components of a primary magnetoreceptor in flies, providing strong evidence that non-canonical (that is, non-CRY-dependent) radical pairs can elicit magnetic-field responses in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A Bradlaugh
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Giorgio Fedele
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences (DiBEST), University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Anna L Munro
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Celia Napier Hansen
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - John M Hares
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Pelican Healthcare, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sanjai Patel
- Manchester Fly Facility, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Alex R Jones
- Biometrology, Chemical and Biological Sciences Department, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
| | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
| | - Richard A Baines
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
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12
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Li S, Huang A, Jiang T, Gu H, Zeng F, Wang X, Zhang S. Revealing of rich living radicals in oxide melts via weak magnetic effect on alumina dissolution reaction. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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13
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Pophof B, Henschenmacher B, Kattnig DR, Kuhne J, Vian A, Ziegelberger G. Biological Effects of Electric, Magnetic, and Electromagnetic Fields from 0 to 100 MHz on Fauna and Flora: Workshop Report. HEALTH PHYSICS 2023; 124:39-52. [PMID: 36480584 PMCID: PMC9722389 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT This report summarizes effects of anthropogenic electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields in the frequency range from 0 to 100 MHz on flora and fauna, as presented at an international workshop held on 5-7 November in 2019 in Munich, Germany. Such fields may originate from overhead powerlines, earth or sea cables, and from wireless charging systems. Animals and plants react differentially to anthropogenic fields; the mechanisms underlying these responses are still researched actively. Radical pairs and magnetite are discussed mechanisms of magnetoreception in insects, birds, and mammals. Moreover, several insects as well as marine species possess specialized electroreceptors, and behavioral reactions to anthropogenic fields have been reported. Plants react to experimental modifications of their magnetic environment by growth changes. Strong adverse effects of anthropogenic fields have not been described, but knowledge gaps were identified; further studies, aiming at the identification of the interaction mechanisms and the ecological consequences, are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanka Pophof
- Competence Centre for Electromagnetic Fields, Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Bernd Henschenmacher
- Competence Centre for Electromagnetic Fields, Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Daniel R. Kattnig
- Department of Physics and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Jens Kuhne
- Competence Centre for Electromagnetic Fields, Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Alain Vian
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 Angers, France
| | - Gunde Ziegelberger
- Competence Centre for Electromagnetic Fields, Department of Effects and Risks of Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation, Federal Office for Radiation Protection, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
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14
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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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15
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Olejárová S, Moravčík R, Herichová I. 2.4 GHz Electromagnetic Field Influences the Response of the Circadian Oscillator in the Colorectal Cancer Cell Line DLD1 to miR-34a-Mediated Regulation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13210. [PMID: 36361993 PMCID: PMC9656412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exert pleiotropic effects on biological processes including circadian rhythms. miR-34a is a small non-coding RNA whose expression is modulated by RF-EMF and has the capacity to regulate clock gene expression. However, interference between RF-EMF and miR-34a-mediated regulation of the circadian oscillator has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, the present study was designed to reveal if 24 h exposure to 2.4 GHz RF-EMF influences miR-34a-induced changes in clock gene expression, migration and proliferation in colorectal cancer cell line DLD1. The effect of up- or downregulation of miR-34a on DLD1 cells was evaluated using real-time PCR, the scratch assay test and the MTS test. Administration of miR-34a decreased the expression of per2, bmal1, sirtuin1 and survivin and inhibited proliferation and migration of DLD1 cells. When miR-34a-transfected DLD1 cells were exposed to 2.4 GHz RF-EMF, an increase in cry1 mRNA expression was observed. The inhibitory effect of miR-34a on per2 and survivin was weakened and abolished, respectively. The effect of miR-34a on proliferation and migration was eliminated by RF-EMF exposure. In conclusion, RF-EMF strongly influenced regulation mediated by the tumour suppressor miR-34a on the peripheral circadian oscillator in DLD1 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Iveta Herichová
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
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16
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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] [Key Words] [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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Affiliation(s)
- Charalambos P. Kyriacou
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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17
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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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18
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Zadeh-Haghighi H, Simon C. Magnetic field effects in biology from the perspective of the radical pair mechanism. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220325. [PMID: 35919980 PMCID: PMC9346374 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hundreds of studies have found that weak magnetic fields can significantly influence various biological systems. However, the underlying mechanisms behind these phenomena remain elusive. Remarkably, the magnetic energies implicated in these effects are much smaller than thermal energies. Here, we review these observations, and we suggest an explanation based on the radical pair mechanism, which involves the quantum dynamics of the electron and nuclear spins of transient radical molecules. While the radical pair mechanism has been studied in detail in the context of avian magnetoreception, the studies reviewed here show that magnetosensitivity is widespread throughout biology. We review magnetic field effects on various physiological functions, discussing static, hypomagnetic and oscillating magnetic fields, as well as isotope effects. We then review the radical pair mechanism as a potential unifying model for the described magnetic field effects, and we discuss plausible candidate molecules for the radical pairs. We review recent studies proposing that the radical pair mechanism provides explanations for isotope effects in xenon anaesthesia and lithium treatment of hyperactivity, magnetic field effects on the circadian clock, and hypomagnetic field effects on neurogenesis and microtubule assembly. We conclude by discussing future lines of investigation in this exciting new area of quantum biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Zadeh-Haghighi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
- Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Christoph Simon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
- Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
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19
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Pegoraro M, Sayegh Rezek E, Fishman B, Tauber E. Nucleotide Variation in Drosophila cryptochrome Is Linked to Circadian Clock Function: An Association Analysis. Front Physiol 2022; 13:781380. [PMID: 35250608 PMCID: PMC8892179 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.781380] [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: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptochrome (CRY) is a conserved protein associated with the circadian clock in a broad range of organisms, including plants, insects, and mammals. In Drosophila, cry is a pleiotropic gene that encodes a blue light-dedicated circadian photoreceptor, as well as an electromagnetic field sensor and a geotaxis behavior regulator. We have generated a panel of nearly-isogenic strains that originated from various wild populations and which carry different natural alleles of cry. Sequencing of these alleles revealed substantial polymorphism, the functional role of which was elusive. To link this natural molecular diversity to gene function, we relied on association mapping. Such analysis revealed two major haplogroups consisting of six linked nucleotides associated with circadian phase (haplotypes All1/All2). We also generated a maximum-likelihood gene-tree that uncovered an additional pair of haplogroups (B1/B2). Behavioral analysis of the different haplotypes indicated significant effect on circadian phase and period, as well on the amount of activity and sleep. The data also suggested substantial epistasis between the All and B haplogroups. Intriguingly, circadian photosensitivity, assessed by light-pulse experiments, did not differ between the genotypes. Using CRISPR-mediated transgenic flies, we verified the effect of B1/B2 polymorphism on circadian phase. The transgenic flies also exhibited substantially different levels of cry transcription. We, moreover, analyzed the geographical distribution of the B1/B2 haplotypes, focusing on a 12 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism that differentiates the two haplotypes. Analysis of cry sequences in wild populations across Europe revealed a geographical cline of B1/B2 indel frequency, which correlated with seasonal bioclimatic variables. This spatial distribution of cry polymorphism reinforces the functional importance of these haplotypes in the circadian system and local adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Pegoraro
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics and Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Sayegh Rezek
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Bettina Fishman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Genetics and Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- *Correspondence: Eran Tauber,
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20
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Zadeh-Haghighi H, Simon C. Radical pairs can explain magnetic field and lithium effects on the circadian clock. Sci Rep 2022; 12:269. [PMID: 34997158 PMCID: PMC8742017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04334-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila's circadian clock can be perturbed by magnetic fields, as well as by lithium administration. Cryptochromes are critical for the circadian clock. Further, the radical pairs in cryptochrome also can explain magnetoreception in animals. Based on a simple radical pair mechanism model of the animal magnetic compass, we show that both magnetic fields and lithium can influence the spin dynamics of the naturally occurring radical pairs and hence modulate the circadian clock's rhythms. Using a simple chemical oscillator model for the circadian clock, we show that the spin dynamics influence a rate in the chemical oscillator model, which translates into a change in the circadian period. Our model can reproduce the results of two independent experiments, magnetic field and lithium effects on the circadian clock. Our model predicts that stronger magnetic fields would shorten the clock's period. We also predict that lithium influences the clock in an isotope-dependent manner. Furthermore, our model also predicts that magnetic fields and hyperfine interactions modulate oxidative stress. The findings of this work suggest that the quantum nature of radical pairs might play roles in the brain, as another piece of evidence in addition to recent results on xenon anesthesia and lithium effects on hyperactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadi Zadeh-Haghighi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Christoph Simon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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21
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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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22
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Wong SY, Wei Y, Mouritsen H, Solov'yov IA, Hore PJ. Cryptochrome magnetoreception: four tryptophans could be better than three. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210601. [PMID: 34753309 PMCID: PMC8580466 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The biophysical mechanism of the magnetic compass sensor in migratory songbirds is thought to involve photo-induced radical pairs formed in cryptochrome (Cry) flavoproteins located in photoreceptor cells in the eyes. In Cry4a-the most likely of the six known avian Crys to have a magnetic sensing function-four radical pair states are formed sequentially by the stepwise transfer of an electron along a chain of four tryptophan residues to the photo-excited flavin. In purified Cry4a from the migratory European robin, the third of these flavin-tryptophan radical pairs is more magnetically sensitive than the fourth, consistent with the smaller separation of the radicals in the former. Here, we explore the idea that these two radical pair states of Cry4a could exist in rapid dynamic equilibrium such that the key magnetic and kinetic properties are weighted averages. Spin dynamics simulations suggest that the third radical pair is largely responsible for magnetic sensing while the fourth may be better placed to initiate magnetic signalling particularly if the terminal tryptophan radical can be reduced by a nearby tyrosine. Such an arrangement could have allowed independent optimization of the essential sensing and signalling functions of the protein. It might also rationalize why avian Cry4a has four tryptophans while Crys from plants have only three.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siu Ying Wong
- Institut für Physik, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26111, Germany
| | - Yujing Wei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26111, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26111, Germany
| | - Ilia A. Solov'yov
- Institut für Physik, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26111, Germany
| | - P. J. Hore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
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23
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Effects of an electric field on sleep quality and life span mediated by ultraviolet (UV)-A/blue light photoreceptor CRYPTOCHROME in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20543. [PMID: 34654874 PMCID: PMC8519966 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99753-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although electric fields (EF) exert beneficial effects on animal wound healing, differentiation, cancers and rheumatoid arthritis, the molecular mechanisms of these effects have remained unclear about a half century. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying EF effects in Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic animal model. Here we show that the sleep quality of wild type (WT) flies was improved by exposure to a 50-Hz (35 kV/m) constant electric field during the day time, but not during the night time. The effect was undetectable in cryptochrome mutant (cryb) flies. Exposure to a 50-Hz electric field under low nutrient conditions elongated the lifespan of male and female WT flies by ~ 18%, but not of several cry mutants and cry RNAi strains. Metabolome analysis indicated that the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content was higher in intact WT than cry gene mutant strains exposed to an electric field. A putative magnetoreceptor protein and UV-A/blue light photoreceptor, CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) is involved in electric field (EF) receptors in animals. The present findings constitute hitherto unknown genetic evidence of a CRY-based system that is electric field sensitive in animals.
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24
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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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25
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Gunes M, Ates K, Yalcin B, Akkurt S, Ozen S, Kaya B. An Evaluation of the Genotoxic Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation at 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz Frequencies with a SMART Assay in Drosophila melanogaster. Electromagn Biol Med 2021; 40:254-263. [PMID: 33622140 DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2021.1878210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
With the development of today's technology, the electromagnetic radiation spread by mobile phones and base stations is also rapidly increasing, and this causes serious concerns about the environment and human health. The Drosophila model organism is widely used in genetic toxicology studies because its genome is highly similar to the genes identified in human diseases. In this study, the genotoxic effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation were evaluated by the wing Somatic Mutation and Recombination Test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster at 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz. The SMART method is based on the observation of genetic changes occurring in the trichomes of the Drosophila wings appearing as mutant clones under the microscope. Throughout the study, total clone parameters were evaluated by exposing the Drosophila larvae to electromagnetic fields for two, four, and six hours per day for two days. As a result of the study, it was observed that the number of mutant clones was statistically increased according to the negative control group in all applications except for the six-hour application at 1800 MHz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Gunes
- Department of Biology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Kayhan Ates
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Burcin Yalcin
- Department of Biology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sibel Akkurt
- Department of Biology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sukru Ozen
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Bulent Kaya
- Department of Biology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
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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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27
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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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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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29
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Vanderstraeten J, Gailly P, Malkemper EP. Light entrainment of retinal biorhythms: cryptochrome 2 as candidate photoreceptor in mammals. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:875-884. [PMID: 31982933 PMCID: PMC11104904 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03463-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms that synchronize the biorhythms of the mammalian retina with the light/dark cycle are independent of those synchronizing the rhythms in the central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The identity of the photoreceptor(s) responsible for the light entrainment of the retina of mammals is still a matter of debate, and recent studies have reported contradictory results in this respect. Here, we suggest that cryptochromes (CRY), in particular CRY 2, are involved in that light entrainment. CRY are highly conserved proteins that are a key component of the cellular circadian clock machinery. In plants and insects, they are responsible for the light entrainment of these biorhythms, mediated by the light response of their flavin cofactor (FAD). In mammals, however, no light-dependent role is currently assumed for CRY in light-exposed tissues, including the retina. It has been reported that FAD influences the function of mammalian CRY 2 and that human CRY 2 responds to light in Drosophila, suggesting that mammalian CRY 2 keeps the ability to respond to light. Here, we hypothesize that CRY 2 plays a role in the light entrainment of retinal biorhythms, at least in diurnal mammals. Indeed, published data shows that the light intensity dependence and the wavelength sensitivity commonly reported for that light entrainment fits the light sensitivity and absorption spectrum of light-responsive CRY. We propose experiments to test our hypothesis and to further explore the still-pending question of the function of CRY 2 in the mammalian retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Vanderstraeten
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Environmental and Work Health Research Center, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP593, Route de Lennik, 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium.
- , Avenue Constant Montald, 11, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Philippe Gailly
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Cellular and Molecular Pole (CEMO), Catholic University of Louvain, Avenue Mounier 53/B1.53.17, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - E Pascal Malkemper
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (CAESAR), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, 53175, Germany
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30
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Binhi VN. Nonspecific magnetic biological effects: A model assuming the spin-orbit coupling. J Chem Phys 2019; 151:204101. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5127972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- V. N. Binhi
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
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31
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Abstract
CRYPTOCHROMES (CRYs) are structurally related to ultraviolet (UV)/blue-sensitive DNA repair enzymes called photolyases but lack the ability to repair pyrimidine dimers generated by UV exposure. First identified in plants, CRYs have proven to be involved in light detection and various light-dependent processes in a broad range of organisms. In Drosophila, CRY's best understood role is the cell-autonomous synchronization of circadian clocks. However, CRY also contributes to the amplitude of circadian oscillations in a light-independent manner, controls arousal and UV avoidance, influences visual photoreception, and plays a key role in magnetic field detection. Here, we review our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying CRY's various circadian and noncircadian functions in fruit flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Foley
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Patrick Emery
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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32
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Dufor T, Grehl S, Tang AD, Doulazmi M, Traoré M, Debray N, Dubacq C, Deng ZD, Mariani J, Lohof AM, Sherrard RM. Neural circuit repair by low-intensity magnetic stimulation requires cellular magnetoreceptors and specific stimulation patterns. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav9847. [PMID: 31692960 PMCID: PMC6821463 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav9847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Although electromagnetic brain stimulation is a promising treatment in neurology and psychiatry, clinical outcomes are variable, and underlying mechanisms are ill-defined, which impedes the development of new effective stimulation protocols. Here, we show, in vivo and ex vivo, that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation at low-intensity (LI-rTMS) induces axon outgrowth and synaptogenesis to repair a neural circuit. This repair depends on stimulation pattern, with complex biomimetic patterns being particularly effective, and the presence of cryptochrome, a putative magnetoreceptor. Only repair-promoting LI-rTMS patterns up-regulated genes involved in neuronal repair; almost 40% of were cryptochrome targets. Our data open a new framework to understand the mechanisms underlying structural neuroplasticity induced by electromagnetic stimulation. Rather than neuronal activation by induced electric currents, we propose that weak magnetic fields act through cryptochrome to activate cellular signaling cascades. This information opens new routes to optimize electromagnetic stimulation and develop effective treatments for different neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Dufor
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
| | - S. Grehl
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
- Experimental and Regenerative Neuroscience, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - A. D. Tang
- Experimental and Regenerative Neuroscience, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - M. Doulazmi
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
| | | | - N. Debray
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
| | - C. Dubacq
- Sorbonne Université, IBPS, CNRS UMR 8246 and INSERM U1130 Neuroscience Paris Seine, Paris, France
| | - Z.-D. Deng
- Noninvasive Neuromodulation Unit, Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - J. Mariani
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université and Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Institut de la Longévité, Charles Foix Hospital, Ivry-sur-Seine, France
| | - A. M. Lohof
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
| | - R. M. Sherrard
- Sorbonne Université and CNRS, IBPS, UMR 8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université and Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Institut de la Longévité, Charles Foix Hospital, Ivry-sur-Seine, France
- Corresponding author.
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33
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Zoltowski BD, Chelliah Y, Wickramaratne A, Jarocha L, Karki N, Xu W, Mouritsen H, Hore PJ, Hibbs RE, Green CB, Takahashi JS. Chemical and structural analysis of a photoactive vertebrate cryptochrome from pigeon. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19449-19457. [PMID: 31484780 PMCID: PMC6765304 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1907875116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational and biochemical studies implicate the blue-light sensor cryptochrome (CRY) as an endogenous light-dependent magnetosensor enabling migratory birds to navigate using the Earth's magnetic field. Validation of such a mechanism has been hampered by the absence of structures of vertebrate CRYs that have functional photochemistry. Here we present crystal structures of Columba livia (pigeon) CRY4 that reveal evolutionarily conserved modifications to a sequence of Trp residues (Trp-triad) required for CRY photoreduction. In ClCRY4, the Trp-triad chain is extended to include a fourth Trp (W369) and a Tyr (Y319) residue at the protein surface that imparts an unusually high quantum yield of photoreduction. These results are consistent with observations of night migratory behavior in animals at low light levels and could have implications for photochemical pathways allowing magnetosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Zoltowski
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275
- Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275
| | - Yogarany Chelliah
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Anushka Wickramaratne
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Lauren Jarocha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, OX1 3QZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nischal Karki
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275
- Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, DE-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, DE-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Peter J Hore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, OX1 3QZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan E Hibbs
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Carla B Green
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Joseph S Takahashi
- Department of Neuroscience, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390;
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
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34
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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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35
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Electromagnetic Fields, Genomic Instability and Cancer: A Systems Biological View. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10060479. [PMID: 31242701 PMCID: PMC6627294 DOI: 10.3390/genes10060479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This review discusses the use of systems biology in understanding the biological effects of electromagnetic fields, with particular focus on induction of genomic instability and cancer. We introduce basic concepts of the dynamical systems theory such as the state space and attractors and the use of these concepts in understanding the behavior of complex biological systems. We then discuss genomic instability in the framework of the dynamical systems theory, and describe the hypothesis that environmentally induced genomic instability corresponds to abnormal attractor states; large enough environmental perturbations can force the biological system to leave normal evolutionarily optimized attractors (corresponding to normal cell phenotypes) and migrate to less stable variant attractors. We discuss experimental approaches that can be coupled with theoretical systems biology such as testable predictions, derived from the theory and experimental methods, that can be used for measuring the state of the complex biological system. We also review potentially informative studies and make recommendations for further studies.
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36
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Kathman ND, Fox JL. Representation of Haltere Oscillations and Integration with Visual Inputs in the Fly Central Complex. J Neurosci 2019; 39:4100-4112. [PMID: 30877172 PMCID: PMC6529865 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1707-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The reduced hindwings of flies, known as halteres, are specialized mechanosensory organs that detect body rotations during flight. Primary afferents of the haltere encode its oscillation frequency linearly over a wide bandwidth and with precise phase-dependent spiking. However, it is not currently known whether information from haltere primary afferent neurons is sent to higher brain centers where sensory information about body position could be used in decision making, or whether precise spike timing is useful beyond the peripheral circuits that drive wing movements. We show that in cells in the central brain, the timing and rates of neural spiking can be modulated by sensory input from experimental haltere movements (driven by a servomotor). Using multichannel extracellular recording in restrained flesh flies (Sarcophaga bullata of both sexes), we examined responses of central complex cells to a range of haltere oscillation frequencies alone, and in combination with visual motion speeds and directions. Haltere-responsive units fell into multiple response classes, including those responding to any haltere motion and others with firing rates linearly related to the haltere frequency. Cells with multisensory responses showed higher firing rates than the sum of the unisensory responses at higher haltere frequencies. They also maintained visual properties, such as directional selectivity, while increasing response gain nonlinearly with haltere frequency. Although haltere inputs have been described extensively in the context of rapid locomotion control, we find haltere sensory information in a brain region known to be involved in slower, higher-order behaviors, such as navigation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many animals use vision for navigation; however, these cues must be interpreted in the context of the body's position. In mammalian brains, hippocampal cells combine visual and vestibular information to encode head direction. A region of the arthropod brain, known as the central complex (CX), similarly encodes heading information, but it is unknown whether proprioceptive information is integrated here as well. We show that CX neurons respond to input from halteres, specialized proprioceptors in flies that detect body rotations. These neurons also respond to visual input, providing one of the few examples of multiple sensory modalities represented in individual CX cells. Haltere stimulation modifies neural responses to visual signals, providing a mechanism for integrating vision with proprioception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Kathman
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Jessica L Fox
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
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37
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Lundberg L, Sienkiewicz Z, Anthony DC, Broom KA. Effects of 50 Hz magnetic fields on circadian rhythm control in mice. Bioelectromagnetics 2019; 40:250-259. [PMID: 30945762 PMCID: PMC6617993 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Artificial light and power frequency magnetic fields are ubiquitous in the built environment. Light is a potent zeitgeber but it is unclear whether power frequency magnetic fields can influence circadian rhythm control. To study this possibility, 8-12-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were exposed for 30 min starting at zeitgeber time 14 (ZT14, 2 h into the dark period of the day) to 50 Hz magnetic fields at 580 μT using a pair of Helmholtz coils and/or a blue LED light at 700 lux or neither. Our experiments revealed an acute adrenal response to blue light, in terms of increased adrenal per1 gene expression, increased serum corticosterone levels, increased time spent sleeping, and decreased locomotor activity (in all cases, P < 0.0001) compared to an unexposed control group. There appeared to be no modulating effect of the magnetic fields on the response to light, and there was also no effect of the magnetic fields alone (in both cases, P > 0.05) except for a decrease in locomotor activity (P < 0.03). Gene expression of the cryptochromes cry1 and cry2 in the adrenals, liver, and hippocampus was also not affected by exposures (in all cases, P > 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that 50 Hz magnetic fields do not significantly affect the acute light response to a degree that can be detected in the adrenal response. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019;9999:XX-XX. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Lundberg
- Public Health EnglandChiltonUnited Kingdom
- Department of PharmacologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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38
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Juutilainen J, Herrala M, Luukkonen J, Naarala J, Hore PJ. Magnetocarcinogenesis: is there a mechanism for carcinogenic effects of weak magnetic fields? Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2018.0590. [PMID: 29794049 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields have been classified as possibly carcinogenic, mainly based on rather consistent epidemiological findings suggesting a link between childhood leukaemia and 50-60 Hz magnetic fields from power lines. However, causality is not the only possible explanation for the epidemiological associations, as animal and in vitro experiments have provided only limited support for carcinogenic effects of ELF magnetic fields. Importantly, there is no generally accepted biophysical mechanism that could explain such effects. In this review, we discuss the possibility that carcinogenic effects are based on the radical pair mechanism (RPM), which seems to be involved in magnetoreception in birds and certain other animals, allowing navigation in the geomagnetic field. We review the current understanding of the RPM in magnetoreception, and discuss cryptochromes as the putative magnetosensitive molecules and their possible links to cancer-relevant biological processes. We then propose a hypothesis for explaining the link between ELF fields and childhood leukaemia, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current evidence, and make proposals for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Juutilainen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mikko Herrala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jukka Luukkonen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jonne Naarala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - P J Hore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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39
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Abstract
Circadian oscillators are networks of biochemical feedback loops that generate 24-hour rhythms in organisms from bacteria to animals. These periodic rhythms result from a complex interplay among clock components that are specific to the organism, but share molecular mechanisms across kingdoms. A full understanding of these processes requires detailed knowledge, not only of the biochemical properties of clock proteins and their interactions, but also of the three-dimensional structure of clockwork components. Posttranslational modifications and protein–protein interactions have become a recent focus, in particular the complex interactions mediated by the phosphorylation of clock proteins and the formation of multimeric protein complexes that regulate clock genes at transcriptional and translational levels. This review covers the structural aspects of circadian oscillators, and serves as a primer for this exciting realm of structural biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena Saini
- Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland.,Max-Planck-Institut für Pflanzenzüchtungsforschung, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mariusz Jaskolski
- Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland.,Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Seth J Davis
- Max-Planck-Institut für Pflanzenzüchtungsforschung, Cologne, Germany. .,Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK.
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40
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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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41
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An open quantum system approach to the radical pair mechanism. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15719. [PMID: 30356085 PMCID: PMC6200754 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34007-4] [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: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of the radical pair mechanism has allowed for theoretical explanation of the fact that magnetic fields are observed to have an effect on chemical reactions. The mechanism describes how an external magnetic field can alter chemical yields by interacting with the spin state of a pair of radicals. In the field of quantum biology, there has been some interest in the application of the mechanism to biological systems. This paper takes an open quantum systems approach to a model of the radical pair mechanism in order to derive a master equation in the Born-Markov approximation for the case of two electrons, each interacting with an environment of nuclear spins as well as the external magnetic field, then placed in a dissipative bosonic bath. This model is used to investigate two different cases relating to radical pair dynamics. The first uses a collective coupling approach to simplify calculations for larger numbers of nuclei interacting with the radical pair. The second looks at the effects of different hyperfine configurations of the radical pair model, for instance the case in which one of the electrons interact with two nuclei with different hyperfine coupling constants. The results of these investigations are analysed to see if they offer any insights into the biological application of the radical pair mechanism in avian magnetoreception.
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42
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Sherrard RM, Morellini N, Jourdan N, El-Esawi M, Arthaut LD, Niessner C, Rouyer F, Klarsfeld A, Doulazmi M, Witczak J, d’Harlingue A, Mariani J, Mclure I, Martino CF, Ahmad M. Low-intensity electromagnetic fields induce human cryptochrome to modulate intracellular reactive oxygen species. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2006229. [PMID: 30278045 PMCID: PMC6168118 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which increasingly pollute our environment, have consequences for human health about which there is continuing ignorance and debate. Whereas there is considerable ongoing concern about their harmful effects, magnetic fields are at the same time being applied as therapeutic tools in regenerative medicine, oncology, orthopedics, and neurology. This paradox cannot be resolved until the cellular mechanisms underlying such effects are identified. Here, we show by biochemical and imaging experiments that exposure of mammalian cells to weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) stimulates rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a potentially toxic metabolite with multiple roles in stress response and cellular ageing. Following exposure to PEMF, cell growth is slowed, and ROS-responsive genes are induced. These effects require the presence of cryptochrome, a putative magnetosensor that synthesizes ROS. We conclude that modulation of intracellular ROS via cryptochromes represents a general response to weak EMFs, which can account for either therapeutic or pathological effects depending on exposure. Clinically, our findings provide a rationale to optimize low field magnetic stimulation for novel therapeutic applications while warning against the possibility of harmful synergistic effects with environmental agents that further increase intracellular ROS. Repetitive low-intensity magnetic stimulation has been used in the treatment of disease for over 50 years. Associated benefits have included alleviation of depression, memory loss, and symptoms of Parkinson disease, as well as accelerated bone and wound healing and the treatment of certain cancers, independently of surgery or drugs. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that repetitive magnetic field exposure in human cells stimulates production of biological stress response chemicals known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). At moderate doses, we find that reactive oxygen actively stimulates cellular repair and stress response pathways, which might account for the observed therapeutic effects to repetitive magnetic stimulation. We further show that this response requires the function of a well-characterized, evolutionarily conserved flavoprotein receptor known as cryptochrome, which has been implicated in magnetic sensing in organisms ranging from plants to flies, including migratory birds. We conclude that exposure to weak magnetic fields induces the production of ROS in human cells and that this process requires the presence of the cryptochrome receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M. Sherrard
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Team Repairing Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - Natalie Morellini
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Team Repairing Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Jourdan
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Photobiology Team, Paris, France
| | - Mohamed El-Esawi
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Photobiology Team, Paris, France
- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Louis-David Arthaut
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Photobiology Team, Paris, France
| | - Christine Niessner
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität Munich, Theresienstraße, Munich, Germany
| | - Francois Rouyer
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris Sud, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Andre Klarsfeld
- Brain Plasticity Unit, UMR 8249 (ESPCI Paris/CNRS), PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Mohamed Doulazmi
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Team Repairing Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - Jacques Witczak
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Photobiology Team, Paris, France
| | - Alain d’Harlingue
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Photobiology Team, Paris, France
| | - Jean Mariani
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Team Repairing Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - Ian Mclure
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, United States of America
| | - Carlos F. Martino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, United States of America
| | - Margaret Ahmad
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS Unit Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Photobiology Team, Paris, France
- Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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43
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Abstract
Over the last three decades, evidence has emerged that low-intensity magnetic fields can influence biological systems. It is now well established that migratory birds have the capacity to detect the Earth's magnetic field; it has been reported that power lines are associated with childhood leukemia and that pulsed magnetic fields increase the production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) in cellular systems. Justifiably, studies in this field have been viewed with skepticism, as the underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. In the accompanying paper, Sherrard and colleagues report that low-flux pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) result in aversive behavior in Drosophila larvae and ROS production in cell culture. They further report that these responses require the presence of cryptochrome, a putative magnetoreceptor. If correct, it is conceivable that carcinogenesis associated with power lines, PEMF-induced ROS generation, and animal magnetoreception share a common mechanistic basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Landler
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocentre, Vienna, Austria
| | - David A. Keays
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocentre, Vienna, Austria
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44
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Wang Q, Zuo Z, Wang X, Liu Q, Gu L, Oka Y, Lin C. Beyond the photocycle-how cryptochromes regulate photoresponses in plants? CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 45:120-126. [PMID: 29913346 PMCID: PMC6240499 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2018.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) are blue light receptors that mediate light regulation of plant growth and development. Land plants possess various numbers of cryptochromes, CRY1 and CRY2, which serve overlapping and partially redundant functions in different plant species. Cryptochromes exist as physiologically inactive monomers in darkness; photoexcited cryptochromes undergo homodimerization to increase their affinity to the CRY-signaling proteins, such as CIBs (CRY2-interacting bHLH), PIFs (Phytochrome-Interacting Factors), AUX/IAA (Auxin/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID), and the COP1-SPAs (Constitutive Photomorphogenesis 1-Suppressors of Phytochrome A) complexes. These light-dependent protein-protein interactions alter the activity of the CRY-signaling proteins to change gene expression and developmental programs in response to light. In the meantime, photoexcitation also changes the affinity of cryptochromes to the CRY-regulatory proteins, such as BICs (Blue-light Inhibitors of CRYs) and PPKs (Photoregulatory Protein Kinases), to modulate the activity, modification, or abundance of cryptochromes and photosensitivity of plants in response to the changing light environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Wang
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, UCLA-FAFU Joint Research Center on Plant Proteomics, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Zecheng Zuo
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, UCLA-FAFU Joint Research Center on Plant Proteomics, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Qing Liu
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, UCLA-FAFU Joint Research Center on Plant Proteomics, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lianfeng Gu
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, UCLA-FAFU Joint Research Center on Plant Proteomics, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yoshito Oka
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, UCLA-FAFU Joint Research Center on Plant Proteomics, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Chentao Lin
- Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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45
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Schlichting M, Rieger D, Cusumano P, Grebler R, Costa R, Mazzotta GM, Helfrich-Förster C. Cryptochrome Interacts With Actin and Enhances Eye-Mediated Light Sensitivity of the Circadian Clock in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:238. [PMID: 30072870 PMCID: PMC6058042 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRYs) are a class of flavoproteins that sense blue light. In animals, CRYs are expressed in the eyes and in the clock neurons that control sleep/wake cycles and are implied in the generation and/or entrainment of circadian rhythmicity. Moreover, CRYs are sensing magnetic fields in insects as well as in humans. Here, we show that in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster CRY plays a light-independent role as "assembling" protein in the rhabdomeres of the compound eyes. CRY interacts with actin and appears to increase light sensitivity of the eyes by keeping the "signalplex" of the phototransduction cascade close to the membrane. By this way, CRY also enhances light-responses of the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Schlichting
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Dirk Rieger
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paola Cusumano
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Rudi Grebler
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Charlotte Helfrich-Förster
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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46
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Worster S, Mouritsen H, Hore PJ. A light-dependent magnetoreception mechanism insensitive to light intensity and polarization. J R Soc Interface 2018; 14:rsif.2017.0405. [PMID: 28878033 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Billions of migratory birds navigate thousands of kilometres every year aided by a magnetic compass sense, the biophysical mechanism of which is unclear. One leading hypothesis is that absorption of light by specialized photoreceptors in the retina produces short-lived chemical intermediates known as radical pairs whose chemistry is sensitive to tiny magnetic interactions. A potentially serious but largely ignored obstacle to this theory is how directional information derived from the Earth's magnetic field can be separated from the much stronger variations in the intensity and polarization of the incident light. Here we propose a simple solution in which these extraneous effects are cancelled by taking the ratio of the signals from two neighbouring populations of magnetoreceptors. Geometric and biological arguments are used to derive a set of conditions that make this possible. We argue that one likely location of the magnetoreceptor molecules would be in association with ordered opsin dimers in the membrane discs of the outer segments of double-cone photoreceptor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susannah Worster
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - P J Hore
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
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47
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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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48
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Kattnig DR. Radical-Pair-Based Magnetoreception Amplified by Radical Scavenging: Resilience to Spin Relaxation. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:10215-10227. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b07672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Kattnig
- Living Systems Institute
and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
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49
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Abstract
Evolution has equipped life on our planet with an array of extraordinary senses, but perhaps the least understood is magnetoreception. Despite compelling behavioral evidence that this sense exists, the cells, molecules, and mechanisms that mediate sensory transduction remain unknown. So how could animals detect magnetic fields? We introduce and discuss 3 concepts that attempt to address this question: (1) a mechanically sensitive magnetite-based magnetoreceptor, (2) a light-sensitive chemical-based mechanism, and (3) electromagnetic induction within accessory structures. In discussing the merits and issues with each of these ideas, we draw on existing precepts in sensory biology. We argue that solving this scientific mystery will require the development of new genetic tools in magnetosensitive species, coupled with an interdisciplinary approach that bridges physics, behavior, anatomy, physiology, molecular biology, and genetics.
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50
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Natan E, Vortman Y. The symbiotic magnetic-sensing hypothesis: do Magnetotactic Bacteria underlie the magnetic sensing capability of animals? MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2017; 5:22. [PMID: 29085642 PMCID: PMC5651570 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-017-0113-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The ability to sense Earth's magnetic field has evolved in various taxa. However, despite great efforts to find the 'magnetic-sensor' in vertebrates, the results of these scientific efforts remain inconclusive. A few decades ago, it was found that bacteria, known as magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), can move along a magnetic field using nanometric chain-like structures. Still, it is not fully clear why these bacteria evolved to have this capacity. Thus, while for MTB the 'magnetic-sensor' is known but the adaptive value is still under debate, for metazoa it is the other way around. In the absence of convincing evidence for any 'magnetic-sensor' in metazoan species sensitive to Earth's magnetic field, we hypothesize that a mutualism between these species and MTB provides one. In this relationship the host benefits from a magnetotactic capacity, while the bacteria benefit a hosting environment and dispersal. We provide support for this hypothesis using existing literature, demonstrating that by placing the MTB as the 'magnetic-sensor', previously contradictory results are now in agreement. We also propose plausible mechanisms and ways to test the hypothesis. If proven correct, this hypothesis would shed light on the forces driving both animal and bacteria magnetotactic abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoni Vortman
- Hula Research Center, Department of Animal Sciences, Tel-Hai College, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
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