Optically functional isoxanthopterin crystals in the mirrored eyes of decapod crustaceans

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Benjamin A PalmerLia Addadi

Abstract

The eyes of some aquatic animals form images through reflective optics. Shrimp, lobsters, crayfish, and prawns possess reflecting superposition compound eyes, composed of thousands of square-faceted eye units (ommatidia). Mirrors in the upper part of the eye (the distal mirror) reflect light collected from many ommatidia onto the photosensitive elements of the retina, the rhabdoms. A second reflector, the tapetum, underlying the retina, back-scatters dispersed light onto the rhabdoms. Using microCT and cryo-SEM imaging accompanied by in situ micro-X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy, we investigated the hierarchical organization and materials properties of the reflective systems at high resolution and under close-to-physiological conditions. We show that the distal mirror consists of three or four layers of plate-like nanocrystals. The tapetum is a diffuse reflector composed of hollow nanoparticles constructed from concentric lamellae of crystals. Isoxanthopterin, a pteridine analog of guanine, forms both the reflectors in the distal mirror and in the tapetum. The crystal structure of isoxanthopterin was determined from crystal-structure prediction calculations and verified by comparison with experimental X-ray diffr...Continue Reading

References

Jun 29, 1971·Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character·S Caveney
Jul 1, 1971·Journal of Ultrastructure Research·R Elofsson, T Kauri
Jan 24, 2004·Veterinary Ophthalmology·F J OllivierA M Komáromy
Dec 27, 2008·Current Biology : CB·Hans-Joachim WagnerJulian C Partridge
Mar 22, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·J C PartridgeH-J Wagner
Jun 18, 2014·Journal of Structural Biology·Francisca I AlagbosoAndreas Ziegler
Oct 24, 2014·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·T M JordanN W Roberts
Dec 2, 2017·Science·Benjamin A PalmerLia Addadi

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 28, 2019·Optics Letters·Venkata Jayasurya Yallapragada, Dan Oron
Jan 15, 2020·Nature Nanotechnology·Benjamin A PalmerDan Oron
May 3, 2020·Polymers·Marion ClaverieSusana C M Fernandes
Jul 17, 2021·Optics Express·Lior M BeckDan Oron
Aug 18, 2021·Biology Letters·Pedro Andrade, Miguel Carneiro
Oct 19, 2021·Nano Letters·Hemant Kumar RautJoel K W Yang

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.