Expression of rhodopsin and arrestin during the light-dark cycle inDrosophila

[摘要] Purpose: To determine the protein and transcript levels forrhodopsin (Rh1), arrestin 1 (Arr1), and arrestin 2 (Arr2) over a 12 hlight/12 h dark cycle in the retina of the fruit fly, Drosophilamelanogaster. This information is important for understanding theprocess of photoreceptor membrane turnover.Methods: Drosophila were entrained for several generations to adaily 12 h light/12 h dark cycle. They were sacrificed at 4 hintervals, beginning at the time of onset of the light phase. Proteinswere resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and subjectedto immunoblot analysis using antibodies directed to rhodopsin, NinaA,Arr1, and Arr2. Northern blots were incubated with riboprobescorresponding to the rhodopsin gene (ninaE), arrestin1(arr1), and arrestin2 (arr2).Results: In entrained Drosophila, protein and mRNA levels forrhodopsin, arrestin1, and arrestin2 were constant during a 12 hlight/12 h dark cycle.Conclusions: These results indicate that rhodopsin and arrestinprotein synthesis in Drosophila photoreceptors do not fluctuate on adaily cycle. These findings are similar to those obtained in Xenopuslaevis, but in contrast to a variety of other vertebrate andinvertebrate species.

[学科分类] 生物化学/生物物理