title: A cryptochrome-based photosensory system in the siliceous sponge Suberites domuncula (Demospongiae).
abstract: Based on the light-reactive behavior of siliceous sponges, their intriguing quartz glass-based spicular system and the existence of a light-generating luciferase [Müller WEG et al. (2009) Cell Mol Life Sci 66, 537-552], a protein potentially involved in light reception has been identified, cloned and recombinantly expressed from the demosponge Suberites domuncula. Its sequence displays two domains characteristic of cryptochrome, the N-terminal photolyase-related region and the C-terminal FAD-binding domain. The expression level of S. domuncula cryptochrome depends on animal's exposure to light and is highest in tissue regions rich in siliceous spicules; in the dark, no cryptochrome transcripts/translational products are seen. From the experimental data, it is proposed that sponges might employ a luciferase-like protein, the spicular system and a cryptochrome as the light source, optical waveguide and photosensor, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Medical School, Mainz, Germany. wmueller@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Werner E G
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Heinz C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korzhev
authors.forename: Vladislav A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Grebenjuk
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Markl
authors.forename: Klaus P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Jochum
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pisignano
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiens
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D056931:Cryptochromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008027:Light; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D056931:Cryptochromes; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins