Retinal cryptochrome in a migratory passerine bird: a possible transducer for the avian magnetic compass.
The currently discussed model of magnetoreception in birds proposes that the direction of the magnetic field is perceived by radical-pair processes in specialized photoreceptors, with cryptochromes suggested as potential candidate molecules mediating magnetic compass information. Behavioral studies have shown that magnetic compass orientation takes place in the eye and requires light from the blue-green part of the spectrum. Cryptochromes are known to absorb in the same spectral range. Because of this we searched for cryptochrome (CRY) in the retina of European robins, Erithacus rubecula, passerine birds that migrate at night. Here, we report three individually expressed cryptochromes, eCRY1a, eCRY1b, and eCRY2. While eCRY1a and eCRY2 are similar to the cryptochromes found in the retina of the domestic chicken, eCRY1b has a unique carboxy (C)-terminal. In light of the 'radical-pair' model, our findings support a potential role of cryptochromes as transducers for the perception of magnetic compass information in birds.
Möller
Andrea
A
Zoologisches Institut, Fachbereich Biologie und Informatik, J.W. Goethe Universität, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60323, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Sagasser
Sven
S
Wiltschko
Wolfgang
W
Schierwater
Bernd
B
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001683:Biological Clocks; D002645:Chickens; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D056931:Cryptochromes; D017931:DNA Primers; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D020308:Songbirds / Q000502:physiology*
D056931:Cryptochromes; D017931:DNA Primers; D005420:Flavoproteins