Expression of rhodopsin and arrestin during the light-dark cycle in Drosophila

To determine the protein and transcript levels for rhodopsin (Rh1), arrestin 1 (Arr1), and arrestin 2 (Arr2) over a 12 h light/12 h dark cycle in the retina of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. This information is important for understanding the process of photoreceptor membrane turnover.

Drosophila were entrained for several generations to a daily 12 h light/12 h dark cycle. They were sacrificed at 4 h intervals, beginning at the time of onset of the light phase. Proteins were resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and subjected to immunoblot analysis using antibodies directed to rhodopsin, NinaA, Arr1, and Arr2. Northern blots were incubated with riboprobes corresponding to the rhodopsin gene (ninaE), arrestin1 (arr1), and arrestin2 (arr2).

In entrained Drosophila, protein and mRNA levels for rhodopsin, arrestin1, and arrestin2 were constant during a 12 h light/12 h dark cycle.

These results indicate that rhodopsin and arrestin protein synthesis in Drosophila photoreceptors do not fluctuate on a daily cycle. These findings are similar to those obtained in Xenopus laevis, but in contrast to a variety of other vertebrate and invertebrate species.