Biomolecular Mechanism, Cloning, Sequencing and Analysis of Adaptive Reflection cDNAs and Proteins from Squid

摘要

We report our investigations elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptive reflectin-based biophotonic system in squids governing the dynamic changes in reflectance and structural color of these animals. We discovered that a neurotransmitter-activated signal transduction cascade culminating in phosphorylation of the reflectin proteins (that we cloned and sequenced) drives the condensation of these proteins, with consequent changes in the dimensions of the membrane-enclosed lamellae that form the reflective Bragg reflectors in the iridophore cells in the skin, thereby activating reflectance and dynamically tuning its color. We also discovered a related reflectin-mediated biophotonic system producing omni-directional and multi- wavelength mirror-like reflectance. Results of this project have revealed new mechanisms by which biomolecular systems dynamically control light, and these mechanisms in turn are enabling the design and synthesis of a new generation of electro-optical materials and devices.