Spontaneous magnetic orientation in larval <i>Drosophila</i> shares properties with learned magnetic compass responses in adult flies and mice.

Painter, Michael S.; Dommer, David H.; Altizer, William W.; Muheim, Rachel; Phillips, John B.

doi:10.1242/jeb.077404

Cited by 33 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Animals thus use a light-dependent magnetic compass not only for large-scale migrations but also for small-scale orientation tasks in their familiar environment (e.g. Muheim et al, 2006b;Painter et al, 2013;Phillips et al, 2013; see also Phillips et al, 2010b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Pinzon-Rodriguez

Muheim

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Birds have a light-dependent magnetic compass that provides information about the spatial alignment of the geomagnetic field. It is proposed to be located in the avian retina and mediated by a lightinduced, radical-pair mechanism involving cryptochromes as sensory receptor molecules. To investigate how the behavioural responses of birds under different light spectra match with cryptochromes as the primary magnetoreceptor, we examined the spectral properties of the magnetic compass in zebra finches. We trained birds to relocate a food reward in a spatial orientation task using magnetic compass cues. The birds were well oriented along the trained magnetic compass axis when trained and tested under low-irradiance 521 nm green light. In the presence of a 1.4 MHz radio-frequency electromagnetic (RF)-field, the birds were disoriented, which supports the involvement of radical-pair reactions in the primary magnetoreception process. Birds trained and tested under 638 nm red light showed a weak tendency to orient ∼45 deg clockwise of the trained magnetic direction. Under low-irradiance 460 nm blue light, they tended to orient along the trained magnetic compass axis, but were disoriented under higher irradiance light. Zebra finches trained and tested under high-irradiance 430 nm indigo light were well oriented along the trained magnetic compass axis, but disoriented in the presence of a RF-field. We conclude that magnetic compass responses of zebra finches are similar to those observed in nocturnally migrating birds and agree with cryptochromes as the primary magnetoreceptor, suggesting that light-dependent, radicalpair-mediated magnetoreception is a common property for all birds, including non-migratory species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Pinzon-Rodriguez

Muheim

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Recent research suggests that magnetic input may be used by animals not only for long-distance movements and migration, but also to structure spatial perception of the animal's immediate surroundings Begall et al, 2013;Painter et al, 2013). Therefore, the geomagnetic field's role in spatial behaviour and cognition may be more general than previously recognized.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High levels of maternally transferred mercury disrupt magnetic responses of snapping turtle hatchlings (Chelydra serpentina)

Landler

Painter

Coe

et al. 2017

Environmental Pollution

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a b s t r a c tThe Earth's magnetic field is involved in spatial behaviours ranging from long-distance migration to nongoal directed behaviours, such as spontaneous magnetic alignment (SMA). Mercury is a harmful pollutant most often generated from anthropogenic sources that can bio-accumulate in animal tissue over a lifetime. We compared SMA of hatchling snapping turtles from mothers captured at reference (i.e., low mercury) and mercury contaminated sites. Reference turtles showed radio frequency-dependent SMA along the north-south axis, consistent with previous studies of SMA, while turtles with high levels of maternally inherited mercury failed to show consistent magnetic alignment. In contrast, there was no difference between reference and mercury exposed turtles on standard performance measures. The magnetic field plays an important role in animal orientation behaviour and may also help to integrate spatial information from a variety of sensory modalities. As a consequence, mercury may compromise the performance of turtles in a wide variety of spatial tasks. Future research is needed to determine the threshold for mercury effects on snapping turtles, whether mercury exposure compromises spatial behaviour of adult turtles, and whether mercury has a direct effect on the magnetoreception mechanism(s) that mediate SMA or a more general effect on the nervous system.

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“…Due to the high RF field strengths required and the difficulties in generating these over a large volume, such an experiment may be impractical with birds but ought to be possible with smaller organisms such as fruit fly larvae. 32 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spin-locking in low-frequency reaction yield detected magnetic resonance

Wedge

Lau

Ferguson

et al. 2013

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.

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The purported effects of weak magnetic fields on various biological systems from animal magnetoreception to human health have generated widespread interest and sparked much controversy in the past decade. To date the only well established mechanism by which the rates and yields of chemical reactions are known to be influenced by magnetic fields is the radical pair mechanism, based on the spin-dependent reactivity of radical pairs. A diagnostic test for the operation of the radical pair mechanism was proposed by Henbest et al. [J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2004, 126, 8102] based on the combined effects of weak static magnetic fields and radiofrequency oscillating fields in a reaction yield detected magnetic resonance experiment. Here we investigate the effects on radical pair reactions of applying relatively strong oscillating fields, both parallel and perpendicular to the static field. We demonstrate the importance of understanding the effect of the strength of the radiofrequency oscillating field; our experiments demonstrate that there is an optimal oscillating field strength above which the observed signal decreases in intensity and eventually inverts. We establish the correlation between the onset of this effect and the hyperfine structure of the radicals involved, and identify the existence of 'overtone' type features appearing at multiples of the expected resonance field position.

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Spontaneous magnetic orientation in larval Drosophila shares properties with learned magnetic compass responses in adult flies and mice.

Cited by 33 publications

References 52 publications

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds

High levels of maternally transferred mercury disrupt magnetic responses of snapping turtle hatchlings (Chelydra serpentina)

Spin-locking in low-frequency reaction yield detected magnetic resonance

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