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A Third Member of the Photolyase/Blue‐light Photoreceptor Family in Drosophila : A Putative Circadian Photoreceptor
Author(s) -
Selby Christopher P.,
Sancar Aziz
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1999.tb05313.x
Subject(s) - photolyase , blue light , drosophila (subgenus) , biology , circadian clock , circadian rhythm , cryptochrome , biological clock , genetics , dna repair , optics , neuroscience , physics , dna , gene
— Two photolyases, specific for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and (6–4) photoproducts, have been reported in Drosophila. These enzymes share extensive sequence homologies with the plant blue‐light photoreceptor. We have now identified a third gene in Drosophila melanogaster with extensive sequence homology to the photolyase gene. The newly identified gene, which we named dCRY , was expressed as a recombinant protein and tested for photolyase activity. The recombinant protein exhibited photochemical properties similar to those of Drosophila pyrimidine dimer and (6–4) photolyases but lacked photolyase activity. In light of recent evidence that blue‐light photoreceptors regulate the circadian clock in mammals, we propose that dCRY is the circadian photoreceptor in this organism.