克里普托克罗姆是一个蓝光传感器,它调节神经元的发射速度
Keri J Fogle1, Kelly G Parson, Nicole A Dahm
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 10, 2011
概括
果在脑神经元中拥有一种新的光感应机制. 这条由CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) 介导的途径允许神经元在没有传统光受体的情况下直接对光作出反应.
科学领域:
- 神经科学是一个神经科学.
- 分子生物学分子生物学
- 时间生物学 时间生物学
背景情况:
- 神经光反应通常依赖于素蛋白和外部光受体.
- 中央大脑神经元的直接光敏感性是不太了解的,特别是没有光线.
研究的目的:
- 为了研究Drosophila melanogaster中非素介导的光反应.
- 确定参与这种直接神经元光敏度的分子机制和细胞组件.
主要方法:
- 使用了Drosophila melanogaster模型与遗传操纵.
- 测量神经活动和膜潜力的变化,以响应光刺激.
- 研究了Cryptochrome (CRY) 和通道的作用.
主要成果:
- 大侧腹刺激神经元 (lLNvs) 在几秒钟内表现出光唤起的动作潜力.
- 这种反应对蓝光的波长有选择性,与CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) 的灵敏度相匹配.
- 在lLNvs中的Cryptochrome (CRY) 表达对于光响应是必要的和充分的,独立于opsins.
- 该机制涉及flavin氧化还原和通道导电性,与昼夜CRY-TIMELESS相互作用不同.
结论:
- 果虫的中枢神经元可以通过CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) 直接感知光线.
- 这种依赖于Cryptochrome (CRY) 的通路为神经元光检测提供了一种新的机制.
- 这些发现扩大了我们对大脑中非视觉光感知的理解.
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