TY - JOUR
TI - Acuity of a Cryptochrome and Vision-Based Magnetoreception System in Birds
AU - Solov'yov, I
AU - Mouritsen, H
AU - Schulten, K
T2 - Biophysical Journal
AB - The magnetic compass of birds is embedded in the visual system and it has been hypothesized that the primary sensory mechanism is based on a radical pair reaction. Previous models of magnetoreception have assumed that the radical pair-forming molecules are rigidly fixed in space, and this assumption has been a major objection to the suggested hypothesis. In this article, we investigate theoretically how much disorder is permitted for the radical pair-forming, protein-based magnetic compass in the eye to remain functional. Our study shows that only one rotational degree of freedom of the radical pair-forming protein needs to be partially constrained, while the other two rotational degrees of freedom do not impact the magnetoreceptive properties of the protein. The result implies that any membrane-associated protein is sufficiently restricted in its motion to function as a radical pair-based magnetoreceptor. We relate our theoretical findings to the cryptochromes, currently considered the likeliest candidate to furnish radical pair-based magnetoreception.
DA - 2010/07//
PY - 2010
VL - 99
IS - 1
SP - 40
EP - 49
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006349510004194
DO - 10.1016/j.bpj.2010.03.053
LA - English
KW - EMF
KW - Birds
ER -