Induction of photoreceptor voltage noise in the dark in Drosophila mutant

Abstract

RANDOMLY occurring, discrete voltage fluctuations (quantum bumps) have been recorded in photoreceptors of several arthropods1-4. It is thought that these bumps sum to produce the receptor potential5,6. We have investigated the relationship between photoexcitation of the visual pigment and the production of quantum bumps using a mutant of Drosophila melanogaster - a third chromosome recessive mutant described by Cosens and Manning7, in which the electroretinogram decays to baseline during a strong, prolonged stimulus. We will call this mutant the transient receptor potential mutant (trp). © 1975 Nature Publishing Group.