Summary
After exposure to blue light for several hoursDrosophila melanogaster wildtype shows a phototactic behaviour in the “T-maze” and in the “choice tube” closely resembling that of mutants defective in receptor cells R1–R6. Exposure to yellow light of an intensity of 0.5 W/m2 reverts this behavioural modification within a period of 1 to 2h. The behavioural analysis correlates with the long lasting afterpotentials in electroretinograms ofwildtype Drosophila after prolonged exposure to blue light.
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We wish to thank to Prof. Dr. H.Ch. Spatz for his invaluable advice and encouragement during the course of the work and for helping in the preparation of the manuscript. Discussions with R. Wright and H. Broda are gratefully acknowledged. We also thank Mrs. E. Brutzer for excellent technical assistance. Mutantsora, rdgB andsev were obtained by Dr. J.A. Campos-Ortega.
This work was supported by funds of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 46).
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Willmund, R., Fischbach, K.F. Light induced modification of phototactic behaviour ofDrosophila melanogaster wildtype and some mutants in the visual system. J. Comp. Physiol. 118, 261–271 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00611827
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00611827