Reaction mechanism of Drosophila cryptochrome

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1017093108
• Publication Date: 2010-12-28T01:45:14Z
• Authors: Nuri Ozturk; Christopher P. Selby; Yunus Annayev; Dongping Zhong; Aziz Sancar
• Keywords: Visual phototransduction; Melanopsin

Cryptochrome (CRY) is a blue-light sensitive flavoprotein that functions as the primary circadian photoreceptor in Drosophila melanogaster . The mechanism by which it transmits light signal to core clock circuitry not known. We conducted vitro studies on light-induced conformational change CRY and its effect protein–protein interaction performed vivo analysis of lifetime signaling state protein gain some insight into phototransduction. find exposure blue induces conformation similar constitutively active mutant with C-terminal deletion (CRYΔ). This has half-life ∼15 min dark at 25 °C characterized increased affinity Jetlag E3 ligase. In reveals S2 cell line, induced millisecond 27 0 during period susceptible degradation ubiquitin-proteasome system. These findings lead plausible model for photoreception/phototransduction