Light-Responsive Cryptochromes from a Simple Multicellular Animal, the Coral Acropora millepora
Abstract
Hundreds of species of reef-building corals spawn synchronously over a few nights each year, and moonlight regulates this spawning event. However, the molecular elements underpinning the detection of moonlight remain unknown. Here we report the presence of an ancient family of blue-light-sensing photoreceptors, cryptochromes, in the reef-building coral Acropora millepora. In addition to being cryptochrome genes from one of the earliest-diverging eumetazoan phyla, cry1 and cry2 were expressed preferentially in light. Consistent with potential roles in the synchronization of fundamentally important behaviors such as mass spawning, cry2 expression increased on full moon nights versus new moon nights. Our results demonstrate phylogenetically broad roles of these ancient circadian clock-related molecules in the animal kingdom.
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In Acropora millepora, exposure to dark/dark (DD) flattened the expression of both cry1 and cry2 also during the subjective light phase, with minor peaks occurring mostly during the subjective night phase.
“Moreover, exposure to dark/dark (DD) flattened the expression of both genes also during the subjective light phase, with minor peaks occurring mostly during the subjective night phase [26].”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [26]
In Acropora millepora, natural FM, as well as artificial night illumination mimicking FM, impact on clock genes expression.
“In the reef-building coral Acropora millepora, which reproduces once every year integrating both seasonal, lunar and daily cues, natural FM, as well as artificial night illumination mimicking FM, have been shown to impact on clock genes expression.”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [26]
In Acropora millepora, cry2 (but not cry1) was significantly upregulated during FM night compared to NM.
“and interestingly, cry2 (but not the other investigated member, cry1) was found significantly upregulated during FM night compared to NM [26]”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [26]
In Acropora millepora, both cry1 and cry2 were expressed in the ectodermal layer of larvae and adults, and their mRNA levels peaked during daylight phases.
“Both cry1 and cry2 were expressed in the ectodermal layer of larvae and adults, and their mRNA levels peaked during daylight phases.”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [26]
Studies in corals and D. melanogaster show discrepancies in gene expression data between field and laboratory samples.
“studies in corals and D. melanogaster show discrepancies in gene expression data between field and laboratory samples [26,27,132]”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [26]
In Acropora millepora, three types of Crys were identified: Ami-Cry1 has closest homology to tr-Crys, Ami-Cry2 is in the 6-4 photolyase group, and Ami-CryDash is related to the Cry-DASH group.
“In the coral Acropora millepora, three types of Crys were identified (24): Ami-Cry1 has closest homology to tr-Crys, Ami-Cry2 is positioned in the group of the 6-4 photolyases, while the third molecule, Ami-CryDash, is related to another ancient group of Crys that has been dubbed “cry-Drosophila, Arabidopsis, Synechocystis, Homo” (Cry-DASH) due to its broad evolutionary conservation (32).”
From An Overview of Monthly Rhythms and Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [24]
In A. millepora sampled during natural full moon nights, cry2 transcript levels were significantly higher than during new moon nights, while cry1 levels did not differ.
“In addition, when animals were sampled during natural full moon nights, cry2 transcript levels were significantly higher than during new moon nights (24), while cry1 levels did not show a difference.”
From An Overview of Monthly Rhythms and Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [24]
In A. millepora, both cry1 and cry2 are induced by sunlight, with no reproducible transcript changes without light.
“the first study by Levy et al. showed that both cry1 and cry2 are induced by sunlight (with no reproducible transcript changes without light).”
From An Overview of Monthly Rhythms and Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [24]
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- Authors
- Levy, O., Appelbaum, L., Leggat, W., Gothlif, Y., Hayward, D. C., Miller, D. J., & Hoegh-Guldberg, O.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072 QLD, Australia.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2007-10-19
- Volume
- 318
- Issue
- 5849
- Pages
- 467-470
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W1997637686
- Cited by
- 263
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 4.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Light effects on plants
- Keywords
- cryptochrome, Acropora millepora, coral spawning, blue-light photoreceptor, circadian clock, CRY1, CRY2, lunar phases, photoreception
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Base Sequence, Circadian Rhythm, Flavoproteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Light, Molecular Sequence Data, Moon, Anthozoa, Cryptochromes
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