1
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Austvold CK, Keable SM, Procopio M, Usselman RJ. Quantitative measurements of reactive oxygen species partitioning in electron transfer flavoenzyme magnetic field sensing. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1348395. [PMID: 38370016 PMCID: PMC10869518 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1348395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological magnetic field sensing that gives rise to physiological responses is of considerable importance in quantum biology. The radical pair mechanism (RPM) is a fundamental quantum process that can explain some of the observed biological magnetic effects. In magnetically sensitive radical pair (RP) reactions, coherent spin dynamics between singlet and triplet pairs are modulated by weak magnetic fields. The resulting singlet and triplet reaction products lead to distinct biological signaling channels and cellular outcomes. A prevalent RP in biology is between flavin semiquinone and superoxide (O2 •-) in the biological activation of molecular oxygen. This RP can result in a partitioning of reactive oxygen species (ROS) products to form either O2 •- or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Here, we examine magnetic sensing of recombinant human electron transfer flavoenzyme (ETF) reoxidation by selectively measuring O2 •- and H2O2 product distributions. ROS partitioning was observed between two static magnetic fields at 20 nT and 50 μT, with a 13% decrease in H2O2 singlet products and a 10% increase in O2 •- triplet products relative to 50 µT. RPM product yields were calculated for a realistic flavin/superoxide RP across the range of static magnetic fields, in agreement with experimental results. For a triplet born RP, the RPM also predicts about three times more O2 •- than H2O2, with experimental results exhibiting about four time more O2 •- produced by ETF. The method presented here illustrates the potential of a novel magnetic flavoprotein biological sensor that is directly linked to mitochondria bioenergetics and can be used as a target to study cell physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase K. Austvold
- Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Stephen M. Keable
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Maria Procopio
- Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Robert J. Usselman
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States
- Computational Research At Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL, United States
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2
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Tong T, Zhou Y, Fei F, Zhou X, Guo Z, Wang S, Zhang J, Zhang P, Cai T, Li G, Zhang Y, Wang J, Xie C. The rational design of iron-sulfur cluster binding site for prolonged stability in magnetoreceptor MagR. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1051943. [DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1051943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron-sulfur proteins play essential roles in a wide variety of cellular processes such as respiration, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation and magnetoreception. The stability of iron-sulfur clusters varies significantly between anaerobic and aerobic conditions due to their intrinsic sensitivity to oxygen. Iron-sulfur proteins are well suited to various practical applications as molecular redox sensors or molecular “wires” for electron transfer. Various technologies have been developed recently using one particular iron-sulfur protein, MagR, as a magnetic tag. However, the limited protein stability and low magnetic sensitivity of MagR hindered its wide application. Here in this study, the iron-sulfur binding site of pigeon clMagR was rationally re-designed. One such mutation, T57C in pigeon MagR, showed improved iron-sulfur binding efficiency and higher iron content, as well as prolonged thermostability. Thus, clMagRT57C can serve as a prototype for further design of more stable and sensitive magnetic toolbox for magnetogenetics in the future.
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3
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Deviers J, Cailliez F, Gutiérrez BZ, Kattnig DR, de la Lande A. Ab initio derivation of flavin hyperfine interactions for the protein magnetosensor cryptochrome. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:16784-16798. [PMID: 35775941 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05804e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The radicals derived from flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are a corner stone of recent hypotheses about magnetoreception, including the compass of migratory songbirds. These models attribute a magnetic sense to coherent spin dynamics in radical pairs within the flavo-protein cryptochrome. The primary determinant of sensitivity and directionality of this process are the hyperfine interactions of the involved radicals. Here, we present a comprehensive computational study of the hyperfine couplings in the protonated and unprotonated FAD radicals in cryptochrome 4 from C. livia. We combine long (800 ns) molecular dynamics trajectories to accurate quantum chemistry calculations. Hyperfine parameters are derived using auxiliary density functional theory applied to cluster and hybrid QM/MM (Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics) models comprising the FAD and its significant surrounding environment, as determined by a detailed sensitivity analysis. Thanks to this protocol we elucidate the sensitivity of the hyperfine interaction parameters to structural fluctuations and the polarisation effect of the protein environment. We find that the ensemble-averaged hyperfine interactions are predominantly governed by thermally induced geometric distortions of the flavin. We discuss our results in view of the expected performance of these radicals as part of a magnetoreceptor. Our data could be used to parametrize spin Hamiltonians including not only average values but also standard deviations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Deviers
- Living Systems Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, UK.,Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR 8000, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France.
| | - Fabien Cailliez
- Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR 8000, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France.
| | - Bernardo Zúñiga Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Química, Universidad de Guadalajara, Blvd. Marcelino García Barragán 1421, C. P. 44430, Guadalajara Jal, Mexico
| | - Daniel R Kattnig
- Living Systems Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Aurélien de la Lande
- Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR 8000, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France.
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4
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Chetverikova R, Dautaj G, Schwigon L, Dedek K, Mouritsen H. Double cones in the avian retina form an oriented mosaic which might facilitate magnetoreception and/or polarized light sensing. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210877. [PMID: 35414212 PMCID: PMC9006000 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To navigate between breeding and wintering grounds, night-migratory songbirds are aided by a light-dependent magnetic compass sense and maybe also by polarized light vision. Although the underlying mechanisms for magnetoreception and polarized light sensing remain unclear, double cone photoreceptors in the avian retina have been suggested to represent the primary sensory cells. To use these senses, birds must be able to separate the directional information from the Earth's magnetic field and/or light polarization from variations in light intensity. Theoretical considerations suggest that this could be best achieved if neighbouring double cones were oriented in an ordered pattern. Therefore, we investigate the orientation patterns of double cones in European robins (Erithacus rubecula) and domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus). We used whole-mounted retinas labelled with double cone markers to quantify the orientations of individual double cones in relation to their nearest neighbours. In both species, our data show that the double cone array is highly ordered: the angles between neighbouring double cones were more likely to be 90°/-90° in the central retina and 180°/0° in the peripheral retina, respectively. The observed regularity in double cone orientation could aid the cells' putative function in light-dependent magnetoreception and/or polarized light sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raisa Chetverikova
- Animal Navigation/Neurosensorics Group, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Glen Dautaj
- Animal Navigation/Neurosensorics Group, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Leonard Schwigon
- Animal Navigation/Neurosensorics Group, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Karin Dedek
- Animal Navigation/Neurosensorics Group, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Animal Navigation/Neurosensorics Group, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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5
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Pinzon-Rodriguez A, Muheim R. Cryptochrome expression in avian UV cones: revisiting the role of CRY1 as magnetoreceptor. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12683. [PMID: 34135416 PMCID: PMC8209128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92056-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes (CRY) have been proposed as putative magnetoreceptors in vertebrates. Localisation of CRY1 in the UV cones in the retinas of birds suggested that it could be the candidate magnetoreceptor. However, recent findings argue against this possibility. CRY1 is a type II cryptochrome, a subtype of cryptochromes that may not be inherently photosensitive, and it exhibits a clear circadian expression in the retinas of birds. Here, we reassessed the localisation and distribution of CRY1 in the retina of the zebra finch. Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass based on a radical-pair mechanism, similar to migratory birds. We found that CRY1 colocalised with the UV/V opsin (SWS1) in the outer segments of UV cones, but restricted to the tip of the segments. CRY1 was found in all UV cones across the entire retina, with the highest densities near the fovea. Pre-exposure of birds to different wavelengths of light did not result in any difference in CRY1 detection, suggesting that CRY1 did not undergo any detectable functional changes as result of light activation. Considering that CRY1 is likely not involved in magnetoreception, our findings open the possibility for an involvement in different, yet undetermined functions in the avian UV/V cones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atticus Pinzon-Rodriguez
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Rachel Muheim
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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6
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Ren Y, Hiscock HG, Hore PJ. Angular Precision of Radical Pair Compass Magnetoreceptors. Biophys J 2021; 120:547-555. [PMID: 33421412 PMCID: PMC7896030 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The light-dependent magnetic compass sense of night-migratory songbirds is thought to rely on magnetically sensitive chemical reactions of radical pairs in cryptochrome proteins located in the birds' eyes. Recently, an information theory approach was developed that provides a strict lower bound on the precision with which a bird could estimate its head direction using only geomagnetic cues and a cryptochrome-based radical pair sensor. By means of this lower bound, we show here how the performance of the compass sense could be optimized by adjusting the orientation of cryptochrome molecules within photoreceptor cells, the distribution of cells around the retina, and the effects of the geomagnetic field on the photochemistry of the radical pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ren
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hamish G Hiscock
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - P J Hore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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7
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Procopio M, Ritz T. The reference-probe model for a robust and optimal radical-pair-based magnetic compass sensor. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:065104. [PMID: 32061231 DOI: 10.1063/1.5128128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Radical-pair reactions have been suggested to be sensitive to the direction of weak magnetic fields, thereby providing a mechanism for the magnetic compass in animals. Discovering the general principles that make radical pairs particularly sensitive to the direction of weak magnetic fields will be essential for designing bioinspired compass sensors and for advancing our understanding of the spin physics behind directional effects. The reference-probe model is a conceptual model introduced as a guide to identify radical-pair parameters for optimal directional effects. Radical pairs with probe character have been extensively shown to enhance directional sensitivity to weak magnetic fields, but investigations on the role of the reference radical are lacking. Here, we evaluate whether a radical has reference character and then study its relevance for optimal directional effects. We investigate a simple radical-pair model with one axially anisotropic hyperfine interaction using both analytical and numerical calculations. Analytical calculations result in a general expression of the radical-pair reaction yield, which in turn provides useful insights into directional effects. We further investigate the relevance of the reference character to robustness against variations of earth-strength magnetic fields and find that the reference character captures robust features as well. Extending this study to radical pairs with more hyperfine interactions, we discuss the interplay between reference character and optimal and robust directional effects in such more complex radical pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Procopio
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Thorsten Ritz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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8
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Henrique EP, Oliveira MA, Paulo DC, Pereira PDC, Dias C, Siqueira LS, Lima CM, Miranda DDA, Rego PS, Araripe J, Melo MAD, Diniz DG, Morais Magalhães NG, Sherry DF, Picanço Diniz CW, Diniz CG. Contrasting migratory journeys and changes in hippocampal astrocyte morphology in shorebirds. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 54:5687-5704. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Marcus Augusto Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | - Dario Carvalho Paulo
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Cleyssian Dias
- Curso de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva Siqueira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Camila Mendes Lima
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | - Diego de Almeida Miranda
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Péricles Sena Rego
- Instituto de Estudos Costeiros Universidade Federal do Pará Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Juliana Araripe
- Instituto de Estudos Costeiros Universidade Federal do Pará Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno Melo
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Pará Brazil
- Instituto Evandro Chagas Laboratório de Miscroscopia Eletrônica Belém Pará Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely Morais Magalhães
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
| | - David Francis Sherry
- Department of Psychology Advanced Facility for Avian Research University of Western Ontario London ON Canada
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança Bragança Pará Brazil
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9
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Navigating at night: fundamental limits on the sensitivity of radical pair magnetoreception under dim light. Q Rev Biophys 2019; 52:e9. [DOI: 10.1017/s0033583519000076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Night-migratory songbirds appear to sense the direction of the Earth's magnetic field via radical pair intermediates formed photochemically in cryptochrome flavoproteins contained in photoreceptor cells in their retinas. It is an open question whether this light-dependent mechanism could be sufficiently sensitive given the low-light levels experienced by nocturnal migrants. The scarcity of available photons results in significant uncertainty in the signal generated by the magnetoreceptors distributed around the retina. Here we use results from Information Theory to obtain a lower bound estimate of the precision with which a bird could orient itself using only geomagnetic cues. Our approach bypasses the current lack of knowledge about magnetic signal transduction and processing in vivo by computing the best-case compass precision under conditions where photons are in short supply. We use this method to assess the performance of three plausible cryptochrome-derived flavin-containing radical pairs as potential magnetoreceptors.
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10
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Mendes de Lima C, Douglas Corrêa Pereira P, Pereira Henrique E, Augusto de Oliveira M, Carvalho Paulo D, Silva de Siqueira L, Guerreiro Diniz D, Almeida Miranda D, André Damasceno de Melo M, Gyzely de Morais Magalhães N, Francis Sherry D, Wanderley Picanço Diniz C, Guerreiro Diniz C. Differential Change in Hippocampal Radial Astrocytes and Neurogenesis in Shorebirds With Contrasting Migratory Routes. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:82. [PMID: 31680881 PMCID: PMC6798042 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about environmental influences on radial glia-like (RGL) α cells (radial astrocytes) and their relation to neurogenesis. Because radial glia is involved in adult neurogenesis and astrogenesis, we investigated this association in two migratory shorebird species that complete their autumnal migration using contrasting strategies. Before their flights to South America, the birds stop over at the Bay of Fundy in Canada. From there, the semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) crosses the Atlantic Ocean in a non-stop 5-day flight, whereas the semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) flies primarily overland with stopovers for rest and feeding. From the hierarchical cluster analysis of multimodal morphometric features, followed by the discriminant analysis, the radial astrocytes were classified into two main morphotypes, Type I and Type II. After migration, we detected differential changes in the morphology of these cells that were more intense in Type I than in Type II in both species. We also compared the number of doublecortin (DCX)-immunolabeled neurons with morphometric features of radial glial-like α cells in the hippocampal V region between C. pusilla and C. semipalmatus before and after autumn migration. Compared to migrating birds, the convex hull surface area of radial astrocytes increased significantly in wintering individuals in both C. semipalmatus and C. pusilla. Although to a different extent we found a strong correlation between the increase in the convex hull surface area and the increase in the total number of DCX immunostained neurons in both species. Despite phylogenetic differences, it is of interest to note that the increased morphological complexity of radial astrocytes in C. semipalmatus coincides with the fact that during the migratory process over the continent, the visuospatial environment changes more intensely than that associated with migration over Atlantic. The migratory flight of the semipalmated plover, with stopovers for feeding and rest, vs. the non-stop flight of the semipalmated sandpiper may differentially affect radial astrocyte morphology and neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Mendes de Lima
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Marcus Augusto de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Dario Carvalho Paulo
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Siqueira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Diego Almeida Miranda
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno de Melo
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely de Morais Magalhães
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - David Francis Sherry
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção no Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Bragança, Brazil
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11
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Slaby P, Bartos P, Karas J, Netusil R, Tomanova K, Vacha M. How Swift Is Cry-Mediated Magnetoreception? Conditioning in an American Cockroach Shows Sub-second Response. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:107. [PMID: 29892217 PMCID: PMC5985609 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse animal species perceive Earth’s magnetism and use their magnetic sense to orientate and navigate. Even non-migrating insects such as fruit flies and cockroaches have been shown to exploit the flavoprotein Cryptochrome (Cry) as a likely magnetic direction sensor; however, the transduction mechanism remains unknown. In order to work as a system to steer insect flight or control locomotion, the magnetic sense must transmit the signal from the receptor cells to the brain at a similar speed to other sensory systems, presumably within hundreds of milliseconds or less. So far, no electrophysiological or behavioral study has tackled the problem of the transduction delay in case of Cry-mediated magnetoreception specifically. Here, using a novel aversive conditioning assay on an American cockroach, we show that magnetic transduction is executed within a sub-second time span. A series of inter-stimulus intervals between conditioned stimuli (magnetic North rotation) and unconditioned aversive stimuli (hot air flow) provides original evidence that Cry-mediated magnetic transduction is sufficiently rapid to mediate insect orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Slaby
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Premysl Bartos
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Karas
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Radek Netusil
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Kateřina Tomanova
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Martin Vacha
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
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12
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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: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [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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13
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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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14
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Nießner C, Winklhofer M. Radical-pair-based magnetoreception in birds: radio-frequency experiments and the role of cryptochrome. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:499-507. [PMID: 28612234 PMCID: PMC5522499 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1189-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The radical-pair hypothesis of magnetoreception has gained a lot of momentum, since the flavoprotein cryptochrome was postulated as a structural candidate to host magnetically sensitive chemical reactions. Here, we first discuss behavioral tests using radio-frequency magnetic fields (0.1-10 MHz) to specifically disturb a radical-pair-based avian magnetic compass sense. While disorienting effects of broadband RF magnetic fields have been replicated independently in two competing labs, the effects of monochromatic RF magnetic fields administered at the electronic Larmor frequency (~1.3 MHz) are disparate. We give technical recommendations for future RF experiments. We then focus on two candidate magnetoreceptor proteins in birds, Cry1a and Cry1b, two splice variants of the same gene (Cry1). Immunohistochemical studies have identified Cry1a in the outer segments of the ultraviolet/violet-sensitive cone photoreceptors and Cry1b in the cytosol of retinal ganglion cells. The identification of the host neurons of these cryptochromes and their subcellular expression patterns presents an important advance, but much work lies ahead to gain some functional understanding. In particular, interaction partners of cryptochrome Cry1a and Cry1b remain to be identified. A candidate partner for Cry4 was previously suggested, but awaits independent replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Nießner
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience, Deutschordenstr 46, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michael Winklhofer
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences IBU, School of Mathematics and Science, University of Oldenburg, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany.
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15
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Hippocampal neurogenesis and volume in migrating and wintering semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179134. [PMID: 28591201 PMCID: PMC5462419 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Long distance migratory birds find their way by sensing and integrating information from a large number of cues in their environment. These cues are essential to navigate over thousands of kilometers and reach the same breeding, stopover, and wintering sites every year. The semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) is a long-distance migrant that breeds in the arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska and winters on the northeast coast of South America. Its fall migration includes a 5,300-kilometer nonstop flight over the Atlantic Ocean. The avian hippocampus has been proposed to play a central role in the integration of multisensory spatial information for navigation. Hippocampal neurogenesis may contribute to hippocampal function and a variety of factors including cognitive activity, exercise, enrichment, diet and stress influence neurogenesis in the hippocampus. We quantified hippocampal neurogenesis and volume in adult migrating and wintering semipalmated sandpipers using stereological counts of doublecortin (DCX) immunolabeled immature neurons. We found that birds captured in the coastal region of Bragança, Brazil during the wintering period had more DCX positive neurons and larger volume in the hippocampus than individuals captured in the Bay of Fundy, Canada during fall migration. We also estimate the number of NeuN immunolabeled cells in migrating and wintering birds and found no significant differences between them. These findings suggest that, at this time window, neurogenesis just replaced neurons that might be lost during the transatlantic flight. Our findings also show that in active fall migrating birds, a lower level of adult hippocampal neurogenesis is associated with a smaller hippocampal formation. High levels of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and a larger hippocampal formation found in wintering birds may be late occurring effects of long distance migratory flight or the result of conditions the birds experienced while wintering.
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16
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Procopio M, Ritz T. Inhomogeneous ensembles of radical pairs in chemical compasses. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35443. [PMID: 27804956 PMCID: PMC5090225 DOI: 10.1038/srep35443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The biophysical basis for the ability of animals to detect the geomagnetic field and to use it for finding directions remains a mystery of sensory biology. One much debated hypothesis suggests that an ensemble of specialized light-induced radical pair reactions can provide the primary signal for a magnetic compass sensor. The question arises what features of such a radical pair ensemble could be optimized by evolution so as to improve the detection of the direction of weak magnetic fields. Here, we focus on the overlooked aspect of the noise arising from inhomogeneity of copies of biomolecules in a realistic biological environment. Such inhomogeneity leads to variations of the radical pair parameters, thereby deteriorating the signal arising from an ensemble and providing a source of noise. We investigate the effect of variations in hyperfine interactions between different copies of simple radical pairs on the directional response of a compass system. We find that the choice of radical pair parameters greatly influences how strongly the directional response of an ensemble is affected by inhomogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Procopio
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 92697-4345, USA
| | - Thorsten Ritz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, 92697-4345, USA
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17
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Hiscock HG, Kattnig DR, Manolopoulos DE, Hore PJ. Floquet theory of radical pairs in radiofrequency magnetic fields. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:124117. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4963793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hamish G. Hiscock
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel R. Kattnig
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - David E. Manolopoulos
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - P. J. Hore
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
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18
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Migratory blackcaps can use their magnetic compass at 5 degrees inclination, but are completely random at 0 degrees inclination. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33805. [PMID: 27667569 PMCID: PMC5036058 DOI: 10.1038/srep33805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
It is known that night-migratory songbirds use a magnetic compass measuring the magnetic inclination angle, i.e. the angle between the Earth’s surface and the magnetic field lines, but how do such birds orient at the magnetic equator? A previous study reported that birds are completely randomly oriented in a horizontal north-south magnetic field with 0° inclination angle. This seems counter-intuitive, because birds using an inclination compass should be able to separate the north-south axis from the east-west axis, so that bimodal orientation might be expected in a horizontal field. Furthermore, little is known about how shallow inclination angles migratory birds can still use for orientation. In this study, we tested the magnetic compass orientation of night-migratory Eurasian blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) in magnetic fields with 5° and 0° inclination. At 5° inclination, the birds oriented as well as they did in the normal 67° inclined field in Oldenburg. In contrast, they were completely randomly oriented in the horizontal field, showing no sign of bimodality. Our results indicate that the inclination limit for the magnetic compass of the blackcap is below 5° and that these birds indeed seem completely unable to use their magnetic compass for orientation in a horizontal magnetic field.
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19
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Worster S, Kattnig DR, Hore PJ. Spin relaxation of radicals in cryptochrome and its role in avian magnetoreception. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:035104. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4958624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Susannah Worster
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel R. Kattnig
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - P. J. Hore
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- P. J. Hore
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom;
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, DE-26111 Oldenburg, Germany;
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, DE-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
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21
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Hiscock HG, Worster S, Kattnig DR, Steers C, Jin Y, Manolopoulos DE, Mouritsen H, Hore PJ. The quantum needle of the avian magnetic compass. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4634-9. [PMID: 27044102 PMCID: PMC4855607 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1600341113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Migratory birds have a light-dependent magnetic compass, the mechanism of which is thought to involve radical pairs formed photochemically in cryptochrome proteins in the retina. Theoretical descriptions of this compass have thus far been unable to account for the high precision with which birds are able to detect the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Here we use coherent spin dynamics simulations to explore the behavior of realistic models of cryptochrome-based radical pairs. We show that when the spin coherence persists for longer than a few microseconds, the output of the sensor contains a sharp feature, referred to as a spike. The spike arises from avoided crossings of the quantum mechanical spin energy-levels of radicals formed in cryptochromes. Such a feature could deliver a heading precision sufficient to explain the navigational behavior of migratory birds in the wild. Our results (i) afford new insights into radical pair magnetoreception, (ii) suggest ways in which the performance of the compass could have been optimized by evolution, (iii) may provide the beginnings of an explanation for the magnetic disorientation of migratory birds exposed to anthropogenic electromagnetic noise, and (iv) suggest that radical pair magnetoreception may be more of a quantum biology phenomenon than previously realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamish G Hiscock
- Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Susannah Worster
- Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel R Kattnig
- Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Steers
- Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ye Jin
- Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - David E Manolopoulos
- Department of Chemistry, Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - 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 & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom;
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22
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Bolte P, Bleibaum F, Einwich A, Günther A, Liedvogel M, Heyers D, Depping A, Wöhlbrand L, Rabus R, Janssen‐Bienhold U, Mouritsen H. Localisation of the Putative Magnetoreceptive Protein Cryptochrome 1b in the Retinae of Migratory Birds and Homing Pigeons. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147819. [PMID: 26953791 PMCID: PMC4783096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptochromes are ubiquitously expressed in various animal tissues including the retina. Some cryptochromes are involved in regulating circadian activity. Cryptochrome proteins have also been suggested to mediate the primary mechanism in light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in birds. Cryptochrome 1b (Cry1b) exhibits a unique carboxy terminus exclusively found in birds so far, which might be indicative for a specialised function. Cryptochrome 1a (Cry1a) is so far the only cryptochrome protein that has been localised to specific cell types within the retina of migratory birds. Here we show that Cry1b, an alternative splice variant of Cry1a, is also expressed in the retina of migratory birds, but it is primarily located in other cell types than Cry1a. This could suggest different functions for the two splice products. Using diagnostic bird-specific antibodies (that allow for a precise discrimination between both proteins), we show that Cry1b protein is found in the retinae of migratory European robins (Erithacus rubecula), migratory Northern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) and pigeons (Columba livia). In all three species, retinal Cry1b is localised in cell types which have been discussed as potentially well suited locations for magnetoreception: Cry1b is observed in the cytosol of ganglion cells, displaced ganglion cells, and in photoreceptor inner segments. The cytosolic rather than nucleic location of Cry1b in the retina reported here speaks against a circadian clock regulatory function of Cry1b and it allows for the possible involvement of Cry1b in a radical-pair-based magnetoreception mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bolte
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Florian Bleibaum
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Angelika Einwich
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Anja Günther
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | | | - Dominik Heyers
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Anne Depping
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Lars Wöhlbrand
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Rabus
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | | | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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23
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Abstract
The ability to perceive geomagnetic fields (GMFs) represents a fascinating biological phenomenon. Studies on transgenic flies have provided evidence that photosensitive Cryptochromes (Cry) are involved in the response to magnetic fields (MFs). However, none of the studies tackled the problem of whether the Cry-dependent magnetosensitivity is coupled to the sole MF presence or to the direction of MF vector. In this study, we used gene silencing and a directional MF to show that mammalian-like Cry2 is necessary for a genuine directional response to periodic rotations of the GMF vector in two insect species. Longer wavelengths of light required higher photon fluxes for a detectable behavioral response, and a sharp detection border was present in the cyan/green spectral region. Both observations are consistent with involvement of the FADox, FAD(•-) and FADH(-) redox forms of flavin. The response was lost upon covering the eyes, demonstrating that the signal is perceived in the eye region. Immunohistochemical staining detected Cry2 in the hemispherical layer of laminal glia cells underneath the retina. Together, these findings identified the eye-localized Cry2 as an indispensable component and a likely photoreceptor of the directional GMF response. Our study is thus a clear step forward in deciphering the in vivo effects of GMF and supports the interaction of underlying mechanism with the visual system.
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24
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Polarized light modulates light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in birds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:1654-9. [PMID: 26811473 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1513391113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetoreception of the light-dependent magnetic compass in birds is suggested to be mediated by a radical-pair mechanism taking place in the avian retina. Biophysical models on magnetic field effects on radical pairs generally assume that the light activating the magnetoreceptor molecules is nondirectional and unpolarized, and that light absorption is isotropic. However, natural skylight enters the avian retina unidirectionally, through the cornea and the lens, and is often partially polarized. In addition, cryptochromes, the putative magnetoreceptor molecules, absorb light anisotropically, i.e., they preferentially absorb light of a specific direction and polarization, implying that the light-dependent magnetic compass is intrinsically polarization sensitive. To test putative interactions between the avian magnetic compass and polarized light, we developed a spatial orientation assay and trained zebra finches to magnetic and/or overhead polarized light cues in a four-arm "plus" maze. The birds did not use overhead polarized light near the zenith for sky compass orientation. Instead, overhead polarized light modulated light-dependent magnetic compass orientation, i.e., how the birds perceive the magnetic field. Birds were well oriented when tested with the polarized light axis aligned parallel to the magnetic field. When the polarized light axis was aligned perpendicular to the magnetic field, the birds became disoriented. These findings are the first behavioral evidence to our knowledge for a direct interaction between polarized light and the light-dependent magnetic compass in an animal. They reveal a fundamentally new property of the radical pair-based magnetoreceptor with key implications for how birds and other animals perceive the Earth's magnetic field.
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25
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Landler L, Painter MS, Youmans PW, Hopkins WA, Phillips JB. Spontaneous magnetic alignment by yearling snapping turtles: rapid association of radio frequency dependent pattern of magnetic input with novel surroundings. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124728. [PMID: 25978736 PMCID: PMC4433231 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated spontaneous magnetic alignment (SMA) by juvenile snapping turtles using exposure to low-level radio frequency (RF) fields at the Larmor frequency to help characterize the underlying sensory mechanism. Turtles, first introduced to the testing environment without the presence of RF aligned consistently towards magnetic north when subsequent magnetic testing conditions were also free of RF ('RF off → RF off'), but were disoriented when subsequently exposed to RF ('RF off → RF on'). In contrast, animals initially introduced to the testing environment with RF present were disoriented when tested without RF ('RF on → RF off'), but aligned towards magnetic south when tested with RF ('RF on → RF on'). Sensitivity of the SMA response of yearling turtles to RF is consistent with the involvement of a radical pair mechanism. Furthermore, the effect of RF appears to result from a change in the pattern of magnetic input, rather than elimination of magnetic input altogether, as proposed to explain similar effects in other systems/organisms. The findings show that turtles first exposed to a novel environment form a lasting association between the pattern of magnetic input and their surroundings. However, under natural conditions turtles would never experience a change in the pattern of magnetic input. Therefore, if turtles form a similar association of magnetic cues with the surroundings each time they encounter unfamiliar habitat, as seems likely, the same pattern of magnetic input would be associated with multiple sites/localities. This would be expected from a sensory input that functions as a global reference frame, helping to place multiple locales (i.e., multiple local landmark arrays) into register to form a global map of familiar space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Landler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michael S. Painter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Paul W. Youmans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - William A. Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - John B. Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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26
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Wang J, Du X, Pan W, Wang X, Wu W. Photoactivation of the cryptochrome/photolyase superfamily. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY C-PHOTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochemrev.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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27
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Kishkinev DA, Chernetsov NS. Magnetoreception systems in birds: A review of current research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s2079086415010041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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28
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Maeda K, Storey JG, Liddell PA, Gust D, Hore PJ, Wedge CJ, Timmel CR. Probing a chemical compass: novel variants of low-frequency reaction yield detected magnetic resonance. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2014; 17:3550-9. [PMID: 25537133 DOI: 10.1039/c4cp04095c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We present a study of a carotenoid-porphyrin-fullerene triad previously shown to function as a chemical compass: the photogenerated carotenoid-fullerene radical pair recombines at a rate sensitive to the orientation of an applied magnetic field. To characterize the system we develop a time-resolved Low-Frequency Reaction Yield Detected Magnetic Resonance (tr-LF-RYDMR) technique; the effect of varying the relative orientation of applied static and 36 MHz oscillating magnetic fields is shown to be strongly dependent on the strength of the oscillating magnetic field. RYDMR is a diagnostic test for involvement of the radical pair mechanism in the magnetic field sensitivity of reaction rates or yields, and has previously been applied in animal behavioural experiments to verify the involvement of radical-pair-based intermediates in the magnetic compass sense of migratory birds. The spectroscopic selection rules governing RYDMR are well understood at microwave frequencies for which the so-called 'high-field approximation' is valid, but at lower frequencies different models are required. For example, the breakdown of the rotating frame approximation has recently been investigated, but less attention has so far been given to orientation effects. Here we gain physical insights into the interplay of the different magnetic interactions affecting low-frequency RYDMR experiments performed in the challenging regime in which static and oscillating applied magnetic fields as well as internal electron-nuclear hyperfine interactions are of comparable magnitude. Our observations aid the interpretation of existing RYDMR-based animal behavioural studies and will inform future applications of the technique to verify and characterize further the biological receptors involved in avian magnetoreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiminori Maeda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Centre for Advanced Electron Spin Resonance, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford, OX1 3QR, UK.
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29
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Zhang Y, Berman GP, Kais S. Sensitivity and entanglement in the avian chemical compass. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2014; 90:042707. [PMID: 25375523 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.90.042707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The radical pair mechanism can help to explain avian orientation and navigation. Some evidence indicates that the intensity of external magnetic fields plays an important role in avian navigation. In this paper, using a two-stage model, we demonstrate that birds could reasonably detect the directions of geomagnetic fields and gradients of these fields using a yield-based chemical compass that is sensitive enough for navigation. Also, we find that the lifetime of entanglement in this proposed compass is angle dependent and long enough to allow adequate electron transfer between molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiteng Zhang
- Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Gennady P Berman
- Theoretical Division, LANL, and New Mexico Consortium, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - Sabre Kais
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics, and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA and Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Foundation, Doha 5825, Qatar
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30
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Du XL, Wang J, Pan WS, Liu QJ, Wang XJ, Wu WJ. Observation of magnetic field effects on transient fluorescence spectra of cryptochrome 1 from homing pigeons. Photochem Photobiol 2014; 90:989-96. [PMID: 24689535 DOI: 10.1111/php.12276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cryptochromes are suggested to be involved in the bird magnetoreception based on the radical pair mechanism (RPM), a well established theory of weak magnetic field effects on chemical reactions. Two members of cryptochrome/photolyase family were found to respond to magnetic field, however, no direct responses of bird cryptochrome to magnetic field as weak as the Earth's magnetic field have been obtained so far. In this study, we used transient fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize the weak magnetic field effects of bird cryptochromes. To do this, we cloned the cryptochrome 1 gene (clCRY1) from the retina of homing pigeons (Columba livia), expressed it in insect Sf9 cells and analyzed the transient fluorescence of purified clCRY1 by application of 45-300 μT magnetic fields. The flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADox ) and glucose oxidase (GOD) in PBS buffer were set as controls which could be excited by light to generate radicals, but would not be sensitive to magnetic field. We observed that the transient fluorescence spectra of clCRY1 were sensitive to the applied magnetic field at room temperature. Our result provides a new proof of the cryptochrome-based model of avian magnetoreception in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-li Du
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
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Lefeldt N, Dreyer D, Steenken F, Schneider NL, Mouritsen H. Migratory blackcaps tested in Emlen funnels can orient at 85 but not at 88 degrees magnetic inclination. J Exp Biol 2014; 218:206-11. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.107235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Migratory birds are known to use the Earth's magnetic field as an orientation cue on their tremendous journeys between their breeding and overwintering grounds. The magnetic compass of migratory birds relies on the magnetic field's inclination, i.e. the angle between the magnetic field lines and the Earth's surface. As a consequence, vertical or horizontal field lines corresponding to 0° or 90° inclination should offer no utilizable information on where to find North or South. So far, very little is known about how small deviations from horizontal or vertical inclination migratory birds can detect and use as a reference for their magnetic compass. Here we ask: what is the steepest inclination angle at which a migratory bird, the Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), can still perform magnetic compass orientation in Emlen funnels? Our results show that blackcaps are able to orient in an Earth's strength magnetic field with inclination angles of 67° and 85°, but fail to orient in a field with 88° inclination. This suggests that the steepest inclination angle enabling magnetic compass orientation in migratory blackcaps tested in Emlen funnels lies between 85 and 88 degrees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fraser A. Armstrong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK
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Evans EW, Dodson CA, Maeda K, Biskup T, Wedge CJ, Timmel CR. Magnetic field effects in flavoproteins and related systems. Interface Focus 2013; 3:20130037. [PMID: 24511388 PMCID: PMC3915827 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2013.0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the framework of the radical pair mechanism, magnetic fields may alter the rate and yields of chemical reactions involving spin-correlated radical pairs as intermediates. Such effects have been studied in detail in a variety of chemical systems both experimentally and theoretically. In recent years, there has been growing interest in whether such magnetic field effects (MFEs) also occur in biological systems, a question driven most notably by the increasing body of evidence for the involvement of such effects in the magnetic compass sense of animals. The blue-light photoreceptor cryptochrome is placed at the centre of this debate and photoexcitation of its bound flavin cofactor has indeed been shown to result in the formation of radical pairs. Here, we review studies of MFEs on free flavins in model systems as well as in blue-light photoreceptor proteins and discuss the properties that are crucial in determining the magnetosensitivity of these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emrys W. Evans
- Centre for Advanced Electron Spin Resonance, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK
| | - Charlotte A. Dodson
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Kiminori Maeda
- Centre for Advanced Electron Spin Resonance, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK
| | - Till Biskup
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - C. J. Wedge
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - Christiane R. Timmel
- Centre for Advanced Electron Spin Resonance, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK
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Phillips JB, Youmans PW, Muheim R, Sloan KA, Landler L, Painter MS, Anderson CR. Rapid learning of magnetic compass direction by C57BL/6 mice in a 4-armed 'plus' water maze. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73112. [PMID: 24023673 PMCID: PMC3758273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetoreception has been demonstrated in all five vertebrate classes. In rodents, nest building experiments have shown the use of magnetic cues by two families of molerats, Siberian hamsters and C57BL/6 mice. However, assays widely used to study rodent spatial cognition (e.g. water maze, radial arm maze) have failed to provide evidence for the use of magnetic cues. Here we show that C57BL/6 mice can learn the magnetic direction of a submerged platform in a 4-armed (plus) water maze. Naïve mice were given two brief training trials. In each trial, a mouse was confined to one arm of the maze with the submerged platform at the outer end in a predetermined alignment relative to magnetic north. Between trials, the training arm and magnetic field were rotated by 180° so that the mouse had to swim in the same magnetic direction to reach the submerged platform. The directional preference of each mouse was tested once in one of four magnetic field alignments by releasing it at the center of the maze with access to all four arms. Equal numbers of responses were obtained from mice tested in the four symmetrical magnetic field alignments. Findings show that two training trials are sufficient for mice to learn the magnetic direction of the submerged platform in a plus water maze. The success of these experiments may be explained by: (1) absence of alternative directional cues (2), rotation of magnetic field alignment, and (3) electromagnetic shielding to minimize radio frequency interference that has been shown to interfere with magnetic compass orientation of birds. These findings confirm that mice have a well-developed magnetic compass, and give further impetus to the question of whether epigeic rodents (e.g., mice and rats) have a photoreceptor-based magnetic compass similar to that found in amphibians and migratory birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B. Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Paul W. Youmans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Rachel Muheim
- Department of Functional Zoology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kelly A. Sloan
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lukas Landler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michael S. Painter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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Nießner C, Denzau S, Stapput K, Ahmad M, Peichl L, Wiltschko W, Wiltschko R. Magnetoreception: activated cryptochrome 1a concurs with magnetic orientation in birds. J R Soc Interface 2013; 10:20130638. [PMID: 23966619 PMCID: PMC3785833 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2013.0638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The radical pair model proposes that the avian magnetic compass is based on radical pair processes in the eye, with cryptochrome, a flavoprotein, suggested as receptor molecule. Cryptochrome 1a (Cry1a) is localized at the discs of the outer segments of the UV/violet cones of European robins and chickens. Here, we show the activation characteristics of a bird cryptochrome in vivo under natural conditions. We exposed chickens for 30 min to different light regimes and analysed the amount of Cry1a labelled with an antiserum against an epitope at the C-terminus of this protein. The staining after exposure to sunlight and to darkness indicated that the antiserum labels only an illuminated, activated form of Cry1a. Exposure to narrow-bandwidth lights of various wavelengths revealed activated Cry1a at UV, blue and turquoise light. With green and yellow, the amount of activated Cry1a was reduced, and with red, as in the dark, no activated Cry1a was labelled. Activated Cry1a is thus found at all those wavelengths at which birds can orient using their magnetic inclination compass, supporting the role of Cry1a as receptor molecule. The observation that activated Cry1a and well-oriented behaviour occur at 565 nm green light, a wavelength not absorbed by the fully oxidized form of cryptochrome, suggests that a state other than the previously suggested Trp•/FAD• radical pair formed during photoreduction is crucial for detecting magnetic directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Nießner
- FB Biowissenschaften, J.W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Dodson CA, Hore PJ, Wallace MI. A radical sense of direction: signalling and mechanism in cryptochrome magnetoreception. Trends Biochem Sci 2013; 38:435-46. [PMID: 23938034 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2013.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2013] [Revised: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable phenomenon of magnetoreception in migratory birds and other organisms has fascinated biologists for decades. Much evidence has accumulated to suggest that birds sense the magnetic field of the Earth using photochemical transformations in cryptochrome flavoproteins. In the last 5 years this highly interdisciplinary field has seen advances in structural biology, biophysics, spin chemistry, and genetic studies in model organisms. We review these developments and consider how this chemical signal can be integrated into the cellular response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A Dodson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
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Pauls JA, Zhang Y, Berman GP, Kais S. Quantum coherence and entanglement in the avian compass. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2013; 87:062704. [PMID: 23848712 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.87.062704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The radical-pair mechanism is one of two distinct mechanisms used to explain the navigation of birds in geomagnetic fields, however little research has been done to explore the role of quantum entanglement in this mechanism. In this paper we study the lifetime of radical-pair entanglement corresponding to the magnitude and direction of magnetic fields to show that the entanglement lasts long enough in birds to be used for navigation. We also find that the birds appear to not be able to orient themselves directly based on radical-pair entanglement due to a lack of orientation sensitivity of the entanglement in the geomagnetic field. To explore the entanglement mechanism further, we propose a model in which the hyperfine interactions are replaced by local magnetic fields of similar strength. The entanglement of the radical pair in this model lasts longer and displays an angular sensitivity in weak magnetic fields, both of which are not present in previous models.
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Gauger EM, Benjamin SC. Comment on "Quantum coherence and sensitivity of avian magnetoreception". PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2013; 110:178901. [PMID: 23679789 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.110.178901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
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Painter MS, Dommer DH, Altizer WW, Muheim R, Phillips JB. Spontaneous magnetic orientation in larval Drosophila shares properties with learned magnetic compass responses in adult flies and mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 216:1307-16. [PMID: 23239891 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.077404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We provide evidence for spontaneous quadramodal magnetic orientation in a larval insect. Second instar Berlin, Canton-S and Oregon-R × Canton-S strains of Drosophila melanogaster exhibited quadramodal orientation with clusters of bearings along the four anti-cardinal compass directions (i.e. 45, 135, 225 and 315 deg). In double-blind experiments, Canton-S Drosophila larvae also exhibited quadramodal orientation in the presence of an earth-strength magnetic field, while this response was abolished when the horizontal component of the magnetic field was cancelled, indicating that the quadramodal behavior is dependent on magnetic cues, and that the spontaneous alignment response may reflect properties of the underlying magnetoreception mechanism. In addition, a re-analysis of data from studies of learned magnetic compass orientation by adult Drosophila melanogaster and C57BL/6 mice revealed patterns of response similar to those exhibited by larval flies, suggesting that a common magnetoreception mechanism may underlie these behaviors. Therefore, characterizing the mechanism(s) of magnetoreception in flies may hold the key to understanding the magnetic sense in a wide array of terrestrial organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Painter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), 2119 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0406, USA.
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