Visual mutations reveal opposing effects of illumination on arousal in Drosophila.
The effect of illumination on alertness can be assessed by comparing the efficacy of an anesthetic under light vs. dark conditions. Results from such tests on wild-type flies and visual mutants demonstrate that, surprisingly, light has both positive and negative influences on arousal. These dual effects may explain aspects of the fly's daily activity and have potential clinical implications.
Cheng
Yuzhong
Y
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institutes of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-3736, USA.
Nash
Howard A
HA
D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000235:genetics*