Summary
The 7y photoreceptor in the fly (Musca, Calliphora) retina harbours an unusually complex pigment system consisting of a bistable visual pigment (xanthopsin, X and metaxanthopsin, M), a blue-absorbing C40-carotenoid (zeaxanthin and/or lutein) and a uv sensitizing pigment (3-OH retinol).
The difference spectrum and photoequilibrium spectrum in single 7y rhabdomeres were determined microspectrophotometrically (Fig. 2).
The extinction spectrum of the C40-carotenoid has a pronounced vibrational structure, with peaks at 430, 450 and 480 nm (Fig. 3). The off-axis spectral sensitivity, determined electrophysiologically with 1 nm resolution shows no trace of this fine structure thus excluding the possibility that the C40-carotenoid is a second sensitizing pigment (Fig. 4).
The absorption spectra of X and M are derived by fitting nomogram spectra (based on fly R1–6 xanthopsin) to the difference spectrum.λ max for X is 425 nm, and for M 510 nm (Fig. 5). It is shown that the photoequilibrium spectrum and the difference spectrum can be used to derive the relative photosensitivity spectra of X and M using the analytical method developed by Stavenga (1975). The result (Fig. 6) shows a pronounced uv sensitivity for both, X and M, indicating that the uv sensitizing pigment transfers energy to both X and M. A value of 0.7 forΦ, the relative efficiency of photoconversion for X and M, is obtained by fitting the analytically derived relative photosensitivity spectra to the absorption spectra at wavelengths beyond 420 nm.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Barlow HB (1982) What causes trichromacy? A theoretical analysis using comb-filtered spectra. Vision Res 22:635–643
Boschek CB (1971) On the fine structure of the peripheral retina and lamina ganglionaris of the fly,Musca domestica. Z Zellforsch 118:369–409
Case JF (1957) Differentiation of the effects of pH and CO2 on spiracular function of insects. J Cell Comp Physiol 49:103–113
Dartnall HJA (1953) The interpretation of spectral sensitivity curves. Br Med Bull 9:24–30
Ebrey TG, Honig B (1977) New wavelength dependent visual pigment nomograms. Vision Res 17:147–151
Gemperlein R, Paul R, Lindauer E, Steiner A (1980) UV fine structure of the spectral sensitivity of flies visual cells. Revealed by FIS (Fourier Interferomotoric Stimulation). Naturwissenschaften 67:565–566
Hamdorf K (1979) The physiology of invertebrate visual pigments. In: Autrum H (ed) Vision in invertebrates (Handbook of sensory physiology, vol VII/6A). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 145–224
Hardie RC (1977) Electrophysiological properties of R7 and R8 in dipteran retina. Z Naturforsch 32c: 887–889
Hardie RC (1985) Functional organization of the fly retina. In: Ottoson D (ed) Progress in sensory physiology, vol 5. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 1–80
Hardie RC, Kirschfeld K (1983) Ultraviolet sensitivity of fly photoreceptors R7 and R8: evidence for a sensitising function. Biophys Struct Mech 9:171–180
Hardie RC, Franceschini N, McIntyre P (1979) Electrophysiological analysis of fly retina. II. Spectral and polarisation sensitivity in R7 and R8. J Comp Physiol 133:23–39
Kirschfeld K (1967) Die Projektion der optischen Umwelt auf das Raster der Rhabdomere im Komplexauge vonMusca. Exp Brain Res 3:248–270
Kirschfeld K (1979) The function of photostable pigments in fly photoreceptors. Biophys Struct Mech 5:117–128
Kirschfeld (1982) Carotenoid pigments: their possible role in protecting against photooxidation in eyes and photoreceptor cells. Proc R Soc Lond (Biol) 216:71–85
Kirschfeld K (1983) Are photoreceptors optimal? TINS 6:97–101
Kirschfeld K, Franceschini N, Minke B (1977) Evidence for a sensitising pigment in fly photoreceptors. Nature 269:386–390
Kirschfeld K, Feiler R, Franceschini N (1978) A photostable pigment within the rhabdomere of fly photoreceptors no 7. J Comp Physiol 125:275–284
Kirschfeld K, Feiler R, Hardie R, Vogt K, Franceschini N (1983) The sensitizing pigment in fly photoreceptors. Properties and candidates. Biophys Struct Mech 10:81–92
Langer H (1975) Properties and functions of screening pigments in insect eyes. In: Snyder AW, Menzel R (eds) Photoreceptor optics. Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 429–455
McIntyre P, Kirschfeld K (1981) Absorption properties of a photostable pigment (P456) in rhabdomere 7 of the fly. J Comp Physiol 143:3–15
McIntyre PD, Snyder AW (1973) Power transfer between optical fibers. J Opt Soc Am 63:1518–1527
Menzel R (1979) Spectral sensitivity and colour vision in invertebrates. In: Autrum H (ed) Vision in invertebrates (Handbook of sensory physiology, vol VII/6A). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 503–580
Minke B, Kirschfeld K (1979) The contribution of a sensitizing pigment to the photosensitivity spectra of fly rhodospin and metarhodopsin. J Gen Physiol 73:517–540
Schwemer J, Henning U (1984) Morphological correlates of visual pigment turnover in photoreceptors of the fly,Calliphora erythrocephala. Cell Tissue Res 236:293–303
Smola U, Meffert P (1979) The spectral sensitivity of the visual cells R7 and R8 in the eye of the blowflyCalliphora erythrocephala. J Comp Physiol 133:41–52
Snyder AW, Menzel R, Laughlin SB (1973) Structure and function of the fused rhabdom. J Comp Physiol 84: 343–356
Stavenga DG (1975) Derivation of photochrome absorption spectra from absorbance difference measurements. Photochem Photobiol 21:105–110
Stavenga DG, Schwemer J (1984) Visual pigments of invertebrates. In: Ali MA (ed) Photoreception and vision in invertebrates. Plenum, New York, pp 11–61
Stavenga DG, Zantema A, Kuiper JW (1973) Rhodopsin processes and the function of the pupil mechanism in flies. In: Langer H (ed) Biochemistry and physiology of visual pigments. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 175–180
Strother GK (1966) Absorption ofMusca domestica screening pigment. J Gen Physiol 49:1087–1088
Trujillo-Cenóz O, Melamed J (1966) Electron microscope observations on the peripheral and intermediate retinas of dipterans. In: Bernhard CG (ed) The functional organization of the compound eye. Pergamon Press, London, pp 1–22
Vogt K (1983) Is the fly visual pigment a rhodopsin? Z Naturforsch 38c:329–333
Vogt K, Kirschfeld K (1983a) C40-Carotinoide in Fliegenaugen. Verh Dtsch Zool Ges 1983:330
Vogt K, Kirschfeld K (1983b) Sensitizing pigment in the fly. Biophys Struct Mech 9:319–328
Vogt K, Kirschfeld K (1984) Chemical identity of the chromophores of fly visual pigment. Naturwissenschaften 71:211–213
Wijngaard W, Stavenga DG (1975) On optical crosstalk between fly rhabdomeres. Biol Cybern 18:61–67
Zhu H, Kirschfeld K (1984) Protection against photodestruction in fly photoreceptors by carotenoid pigments. J Comp Physiol A 154:153–156
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kirschfeld, K., Hardie, R., Lenz, G. et al. The pigment system of the photoreceptor 7 yellow in the fly, a complex photoreceptor. J. Comp. Physiol. 162, 421–433 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00612508
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00612508