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A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
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Ascorbic acid may not be involved in cryptochrome-based magnetoreception.

Claus Nielsen1, Daniel R Kattnig2, Emil Sjulstok3

  • 1Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark clausnielsen@sdu.dk.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|December 22, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ascorbate ions are unlikely to play a role in avian magnetoreception. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that while ascorbate can interact with cryptochromes, the low encounter rate makes this pathway improbable for magnetic sensing.

Keywords:
ascorbic acidavian magnetic compasscryptochrome magnetoreceptionelectron transferradical pair mechanism

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Neuroscience
  • Quantum Biology

Background:

  • Cryptochrome is a proposed sensor for avian magnetic compass.
  • The exact mechanism and intracellular partners of cryptochrome remain unknown.
  • A potential mechanism involves radical pair formation between cryptochrome and ascorbate ions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the likelihood of the ascorbate-assisted radical pair pathway in cryptochrome-based magnetoreception.
  • To characterize the interaction between ascorbate ions and tryptophan radicals in cryptochrome using molecular dynamics simulations.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular dynamics simulations were performed on cryptochrome from *Drosophila melanogaster* and *Erithacus rubecula*.
  • Transient encounters between ascorbate ions and tryptophan radicals were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Ascorbate ions transiently bind near tryptophan radicals in cryptochrome for a few nanoseconds.
  • The calculated rate of these encounters is low.
  • The [FAD•- Asc•-] pathway is unlikely at physiological ascorbate concentrations (≤ 1 mM).

Conclusions:

  • Ascorbate ions are unlikely to be directly involved in the avian magnetic compass mechanism.
  • The low probability of ascorbate interaction suggests alternative radical pair mechanisms or partners are involved in magnetoreception.