Marine Worm's Remarkable Ability to Distinguish Moonglow and Sunbeams
Scientists have decoded the molecular structure of a protein in the marine bristleworm Platynereis dumerilii that helps it sync its reproductive cycle with the phases of the moon. This is the first time the molecular structure of a protein responsible for syncing a biological clock to the moon has been determined. The protein, called L-Cry, can distinguish between moonlight and sunlight, allowing the worms to avoid mistaking the dim light of dawn and dusk for moonlight. The findings could have implications for understanding the physiology of other organisms, including humans, and shed light on the evolutionary origins of monthly reproductive timing.