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A Behavioral Assay for Mechanosensation of MARCM-based Clones in Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: December 30, 2015
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Essential elements of radical pair magnetosensitivity in Drosophila
Adam A Bradlaugh1, Giorgio Fedele2,3, Anna L Munro1
1Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
Nature
|February 22, 2023
Summary
Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and a short CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) segment enable magnetic sense in flies. This discovery suggests non-CRY-dependent mechanisms for detecting Earth's magnetic field.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Biophysics
- Neurobiology
Background:
- Animals navigate using Earth's magnetic field, often explained by CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) proteins.
- The canonical CRY-based radical-pair mechanism inadequately explains observed magnetosensitivity.
- Magnetoreception mechanisms require further investigation beyond the established CRY model.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify essential components for magnetoreception in Drosophila.
- To investigate the role of CRY C-terminal residues in magnetic sensing.
- To explore the influence of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) on magnetosensitivity.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiology to measure single-neuron responses.
- Behavioral analyses to assess organismal magnetic responses.
- Genetic manipulation of CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) levels.
Main Results:
- A 52-amino acid C-terminal fragment of Drosophila CRY, without the FAD-binding site, is sufficient for magnetoreception.
- Increased intracellular flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) enhances blue-light and magnetic-field-dependent neuronal activity.
- High flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) levels alone induce blue-light sensitivity, potentiated by magnetic fields.
Conclusions:
- The C-terminal region of CRY is crucial for fly magnetoreception.
- Non-canonical, CRY-independent radical pairs can mediate magnetic-field responses.
- This study reveals key components of a primary magnetoreceptor in flies.
