(Press-News.org) Irvine, Calif. — A UC Irvine research team led by Todd C. Holmes has discovered a second form of phototransduction light sensing in cells that is derived from vitamin B2. This discovery may reveal new information about cellular processes controlled by light.
For more than 100 years, it had been believed that the phototransduction process was solely based on a chemical derived from vitamin A called retinal. Phototransduction is the conversion of light signals into electrical signals in photoreceptive neurons and underlies both image-forming and non-image-forming light sensing.
In discovering this new light-sensing phototransduction mechanism, the UCI scientists found that phototransduction can also be mediated by a protein called cryptochrome, which uses a B2 vitamin chemical derivative for light sensing. Cryptochromes are blue-light photoreceptors found in circadian and arousal neurons that regulate slow biochemical processes, but this is the first time they have been linked to rapid phototransduction.
Their work appears March 3 on online Express site for the journal Science.
"This is totally novel mechanism that does not depend on retinal," said Holmes, a professor of physiology & biophysics. "This discovery opens whole new technology opportunities for adapting light-sensing proteins to drive medically relevant cellular activities."
This basic science breakthrough – "which literally and figuratively came 'out of the blue,'" Holmes said – has implications in the fast-growing field of optogenetics. Optogenetics combines optical and genetic research techniques to probe neural circuits at the high speeds needed to understand brain information processing. In one area, it is being used to understand how treatments such as deep brain massage can aid people with neurodegenerative diseases.
Holmes' team found that cryptochrome mediates phototransduction directly in fruit fly circadian and arousal neurons in response to blue-light wavelengths. The researchers also found that they could genetically express cryptochrome in neurons that are not ordinarily electrically responsive to light to make them light responsive.
INFORMATION:
Keri Fogel, Kelly Parson and Nicole Dahm of UCI contributed to the study, which received National Institutes of Health support.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. Use of this line is available for a fee to radio news programs/stations that wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.
UCI researchers find new light-sensing mechanism in neurons
'Out of the blue' discovery marks new direction in phototransduction studies
2011-03-04
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Yachting Exclusive: Fraser Yachts Announce New Luxury Yachts for Sale in 2011
2011-03-04
Fraser Yachts is delighted to announce the addition of five new vessels to their ever expanding list of luxury yachts for sale. Built in 1967 and refurbished in 2005, the largest of the new collection is M/Y Il Odyssey yacht. Hailing from the Benetti Yachts shipyard, the Il Odyssey luxury yacht is 37.8m in length and can sleep 9 guests and 6 crew members. She is currently on sale in Monaco for EUR1,950,000.
One of the youngest luxury yachts for sale is M/Y Team VIP yacht. Built in 2010, and built by Guy Couach, this mega yacht is the newest of its siblings of four. ...
Public's budget priorities differ dramatically from House and Obama
2011-03-04
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – When it comes to the federal budget, the public is on a different page than either the House of Representatives or the Obama Administration – with a different set of priorities and a greater willingness to cut spending and increase taxes – concludes a new analysis by the University of Maryland's Program for Public Consultation (PPC).
This new analysis compares the House and administration budget proposals with those produced by a representative sample of U.S. adults. These public budgets were part of an innovative study released last month.
While ...
New observations of the giant planet orbiting beta Pictoris
2011-03-04
Astronomy & Astrophysics publishes new high angular resolution observations of the giant planet orbiting the star beta Pictoris. Located at 63.4 light-years from the Sun, beta Pic is a very young star of about 12 million years old [1], which is 75% more massive than our Sun. beta Pic is well known for harboring an extended and structured circumstellar disk. It was actually the first star to have its disk directly imaged more than 25 years ago. In 2009, a giant planet was seen orbiting within the disk. With an orbital distance of 8 to 15 astronomical units (AU), beta Pictoris ...
26 percent of herbs eaten in Spain are contaminated with bacteria
2011-03-04
A research team from the University of Valencia has discovered that up to 20% of spices and 26% of herbs sold in Spain are contaminated by various bacteria, reducing their quality. The study, which is the first of its kind in Spain, suggests that health and hygiene control systems should be put in place, from cultivation of these products right through to when they reach the market.
Scientists from the University of Valencia have for the first time studied the microbiological quality of 53 samples of spices and herbs such as thyme and oregano sold at Spanish markets.
The ...
How sunlight may reduce the severity of multiple sclerosis
2011-03-04
New research into the neurodegenerative disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) offers new insight into the link between sunlight, vitamin D3, and MS risk and severity. The research, published in the European Journal of Immunology, studies the relationship between the sunlight-dependent vitamin D3 hormone, immune cells, and the risk and severity of autoimmunity in an experimental model.
Expensive first-line treatments for MS modestly reduce the frequency of autoimmune attacks but do not slow disease progression, when the patient's immune system operates against the body's own ...
Food forensics: DNA links habitat quality to bat diet
2011-03-04
All night long, bats swoop over our landscape consuming insects, but they do this in secret, hidden from our view. Until recently, scientists have been unable to bring their ecosystem out of the dark but thanks to new genetic techniques, researchers from the University of Bristol and Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Canada, have been able to reconstruct the environment supporting these elusive creatures.
Working at three sites in Southern Ontario (Canada) the team of students and scientists monitored the diet of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) from colonies living ...
Yachts for Sale: YPI Group Announces a Range of Exciting Offers for Spring and Summer 2011
2011-03-04
Each of these luxury yachts measures between 24m and 30m and are able to accommodate at least 8 overnight guests. Far more manoeuvrable and economic these smaller yachts are no less desirable on a luxury yacht charter.
The sailing yacht Rafoly (28.2m) is one the most advanced sailing catamarans available. Launched in 2008 from the Yachts Industries shipyard in Caen, France, she is simple to sail yet gives a feeling of speed similar to that of a performance sailing yacht. Rafoly is able to accommodate 8 overnight guests in her four large cabins, and thanks to her spacious ...
Research into chromosome replication reveals details of heredity dynamics
2011-03-04
A novel study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet has deepened the understanding of how chromosome replication, one of life's most fundamental processes, works. In a long term perspective these results could eventually lead to novel cancer therapies. The study is presented in the prestigious scientific journal Nature.
By studying DNA replication in yeast cells, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that a protein complex (Smc5/6) helps to release torsional stress created in the DNA molecule when chromosomes are replicated in preparation ...
The UK maintains a positive outlook, despite the recession
2011-03-04
More than 15,000 adults of working age took part in the survey for Understanding Society, the world largest household panel study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and run by the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex. The survey which will follow 40,000 UK households over many years, asks people about a wide range of topics including their employment status, families, income levels and well-being.
It found that people's employment status during the recession had a major impact on how they coped financially. Forty ...
Better brain wiring linked to family genes
2011-03-04
How well our brain functions is largely based on our family's genetic makeup, according to a University of Melbourne led study.
The study published in the international publication the Journal of Neuroscience provides the first evidence of a genetic effect on how 'cost-efficient' our brain network wiring is, shedding light on some of the brain's make up.
Lead author Dr Alex Fornito from the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre at the University of Melbourne, Australia said the findings have important implications for understanding why some people are better able to perform ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Insulin resistance is linked to over 30 diseases – and to early death in women, study of people in the UK finds
Innovative semaglutide hydrogel could reduce diabetes shots to once a month
Weight loss could reduce the risk of severe infections in people with diabetes, UK research suggests
Long-term exposure to air pollution and a lack of green space increases the risk of hospitalization for respiratory conditions
Better cardiovascular health in early pregnancy may offset high genetic risk
Artificial intelligence method transforms gene mutation prediction in lung cancer: DeepGEM data releases at IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer
Antibody–drug conjugate I-DXd shows clinically meaningful response in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
IASLC Global Survey on biomarker testing reveals progress and persistent barriers in lung cancer biomarker testing
Research shows pathway to developing predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors
Just how dangerous is Great Salt Lake dust? New research looks for clues
Maroulas appointed Associate Vice Chancellor, Director of AI Tennessee
New chickadee research finds cognitive skills impact lifespan
Cognitive behavioral therapy enhances brain circuits to relieve depression
Terasaki Institute awarded $2.3 Million grant from NIH for organ transplantation research using organs-on-a-chip technology
Atoms on the edge
Postdoc takes multipronged approach to muon detection
Mathematical proof: Five satellites needed for precise navigation
Scalable, multi-functional device lays groundwork for advanced quantum applications
Falling for financial scams? It may signal early Alzheimer’s disease
Integrating MRI and OCT for new insights into brain microstructure
Designing a normative neuroimaging library to support diagnosis of traumatic brain injury
Department of Energy announces $68 million in funding for artificial intelligence for scientific research
DOE, ORNL announce opportunity to define future of high-performance computing
Molecular simulations, supercomputing lead to energy-saving biomaterials breakthrough
Low-impact yoga and exercise found to help older women manage urinary incontinence
Genetic studies reveal new insights into cognitive impairment in schizophrenia
Researcher develops technology to provide cleaner energy and cleaner water
Expect the unexpected: nanoscale silver unveils intrinsic self-healing abilities
nTIDE September 2024 Jobs Report: Gains in employment for people with disabilities appear to level off after reducing gaps with non-disabled workers
Wiley enhances NMR Spectral Library Collection with extensive new databases
[Press-News.org] UCI researchers find new light-sensing mechanism in neurons'Out of the blue' discovery marks new direction in phototransduction studies