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Magnetoreception: activation of avian cryptochrome 1a in various light conditions

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Abstract

The avian magnetic inclination compass is based on radical pair processes, with cryptochrome (Cry) assumed to form the crucial radical pairs; it requires short-wavelength light from UV to green. Under high-intensity narrow-band lights and when yellow light is added, the magnetic compass is disrupted: migratory birds no longer prefer their migratory direction, but show other orientation responses. The candidate receptor molecule Cry1a is located in the shortwavelength-sensitive SWS1 cone photoreceptors in the retina. The present analysis of avian retinae after the respective illuminations showed that no activated Cry1a was present under 565 nm green light of medium and high intensity, and hardly any under high intensity 502 nm turquoise, whereas we found activated Cry1a at all three tested intensities of 373 nm UV and 424 nm blue light. Activated Cry1a also was found when 590 nm yellow light was added to low-intensity light of the four colors; yet these light combinations result in impaired magnetic orientation. This indicates that the disruption of the magnetic compass does not occur at the receptor level in the retina, but at higher processing stages, where the unnatural, almost monochromatic or bichromatic illumination causes yet unknown responses that interfere with the inclination compass.

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(modified after Müller and Ahmad 2011; see also Nießner et al. 2013)

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Acknowledgements

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant Wi 988/8-2 and 8-3 to RW). We sincerely thank M. Ahmad, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, for helpful advice. The study was performed in accordance with the rules and regulations of animal welfare in Germany.

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Author notes

  1. Leo Peichl

    Present address: Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. FB Biowissenschaften, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Christine Nießner, Susanne Denzau, Wolfgang Wiltschko & Roswitha Wiltschko

  2. Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Max-von-Laue-Str. 4, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Leo Peichl

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  1. Christine Nießner
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  2. Susanne Denzau
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  4. Wolfgang Wiltschko
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  5. Roswitha Wiltschko
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Correspondence to Roswitha Wiltschko.

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The study was performed according to the rules and regulations of animal welfare in Germany.

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Nießner, C., Denzau, S., Peichl, L. et al. Magnetoreception: activation of avian cryptochrome 1a in various light conditions. J Comp Physiol A 204, 977–984 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-018-1296-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-018-1296-7

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