A research team from the University of California, Irvine led by Professor Todd C. Holmes has gained insight of a vitamin B2-based cell phototransduction light sensing process. This discovery will enable researchers to gain further knowledge of light-controlled cellular processes.
For over 100 years, it was assumed that the phototransduction was a retinal-based process, which is a derivative of vitamin A. Light signals are converted into electrical signals in photoreceptive neurons and trigger non-image forming as well as image-forming light sensing.
The researchers have discovered that a protein derived from vitamin B2 called cryptochrome can also mediate the phototransduction process. A blue-light photoreceptor, the protein is located in arousal and circadian neurons and has been associated with rapid phototransduction for the first time.
Professor Holmes has stated that the new process can be applied in the field of optogenetics, which enables the study of brain information processing and analyzes the treatment methods for neurodegenerative diseases.
Source: http://www.uci.edu/