The cry(b) mutation identifies cryptochrome as a circadian photoreceptor in Drosophila

Abstract

A new rhythm mutation was isolated based on its elimination of per- controlled luciferase cycling. Levels of period or timeless clock gene products in the mutant are flat in daily light-dark cycles or constant darkness (although PER and TIM oscillate normally in temperature cycles). Consistent with the fact that light normally suppresses TIM, cry(b) is an apparent null mutation in a gene encoding Drosophila's version of the blue light receptor cryptochrome. Behaviorally, cry(b) exhibits poor synchronization to light-dark cycles in genetic backgrounds that cause external blindness or demand several hours of daily rhythm resets, and it shows no response to brief light pulses. cry(b) flies are rhythmic in constant darkness, correlating with robust PER and TIM cycling in certain pacemaker neurons.