Analyses of molecular characteristics in mammalian melanopsins to receive ambient light signals.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25840122
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Institute for Molecular Science
• Principal Investigator: TSUKAMOTO Hisao 分子科学研究所, 生命・錯体分子科学研究領域, 助教 (90579814)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 光受容 / ロドプシン / 分子進化 / レチナール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As other animals, mammals receive ambient light signals to regulate their circadian clocks. Such a "non-visual" photoreception in mammals is mediated by not only visual photoreceptor cells but also intrinsically retinal ganglion cells. A photoreceptive protein named melanopsin receives and transmits the light signals in the intrinsically retinal ganglion cells.
In this study, we compared biochemical and spectroscopic properties of mammalian melanopsins with those of closely related photopigments with an aim to identify some molecular characteristics in mammalian melanopsins suited for the non-visual photoreception. Our data suggested that mammalian melanopsins have acquired some characteristics to receive ambient light signals.

Free Research Field

光生物学