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The Ancestral Circadian Clock of Monarch Butterflies: Role in Time-compensated Sun Compass Orientation
The inherited daily clock in monarch butterflies and its role in sun-based navigation
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Abstract
The monarch butterfly possesses a circadian clock that plays a crucial role in navigation during migration.
- Circadian clock cells in the monarch's brain are located in the dorsolateral protocerebrum and express specific proteins including PERIOD, TIMELESS, and CRY1.
- A second cry gene, CRY2, is also expressed in the monarch and is involved in the circadian clock mechanism.
- CRY1 acts as a blue light photoreceptor, aiding in the synchronization of the clock to environmental light conditions.
- CRY2 functions as a major repressor within the clock's transcriptional feedback loop.
- Neural pathways associated with CRY1 and CRY2 may link the circadian clock to light input and the central complex, which is related to sun compass navigation.
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