Essential elements of radical pair magnetosensitivity in Drosophila

Abstract

Overview

Many animals utilize Earth's geomagnetic field for navigation purposes. The understanding of this phenomenon hinges on the interactions within certain photoreceptor proteins influenced by geomagnetic fields.

Findings

The study explores a non-standard magnetosensitive mechanism in Drosophila which does not rely on the canonical components traditionally associated with magnetoreception. Through detailed electrophysiology and behavioural analyses, the research identifies that just 52 C-terminal amino acids of the Drosophila melanogaster's CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) are adequate for magnetoreception. Additionally, it was discovered that an increase in intracellular flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) enhances the magnetic field effects on blue-light neuronal activity.

• Magnetic-field responses were measured at both single-neuron and whole-organism levels.
• Non-canonical radical pairs were demonstrated to evoke magnetic-field responses, debunking prior limited views on the necessary components for magnetoreception.

Conclusion

This study significantly advances our understanding of magnetoreception by elucidating the key components that enable magnetic field detection in Drosophila. This opens up new avenues in the study of bioelectromagnetics, particularly concerning health risks related to electromagnetic fields as the molecular pathways susceptible to such fields are further clarified.