Cryptochrome-Based Magnetic Sensing

Abstract

The sensory mechanisms that allow birds to perceive the direction of the Earth's magnetic field for the purpose of navigation are beginning to be understood. One of the two leading magnetoreception hypotheses is founded on magnetically sensitive photochemical reactions in the retina. It is thought that transient photo-induced radical pairs in cryptochrome, a blue-light photoreceptor protein, act as the primary magnetic sensor. Experimental and theoretical support for this mechanism has been accumulating over the last few years but as described in our recent review articles there are still are many open questions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 14, 2021
Accession Number
AD1132569

Entities

People

  • Peter Hore

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Animals
  • Availability
  • Birds
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Cells
  • Classification
  • Contracts
  • Crystal Structure
  • Department Of Defense
  • Detectors
  • Drosophila
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electron Transfer
  • Information Operations
  • Instructions
  • Magnetic Detection
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Molecular Dynamics
  • Monitoring
  • Scientific Research
  • Security
  • Sensitivity
  • Simulations
  • Universities
  • Virginia

Readers

  • Chemistry (specifically Chemical Fluorescence)
  • Theoretical Analysis.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.