Brennan Beecher

Beecher1

Michael Young
Biology Lab 1615
11/18/15

Research paper:
Impaired Mitochondrial Energy Production Causes Light-Induced Photoreceptor Degeneration
Independent of Oxidative Stress

In studying the topic of impaired mitochondrial energy production and how is causes the
degeneration of the photoreceptor, it was neat to learn more about how the different parts of the
cells work together, and how the genes will occasionally have defects causing degeneration of
the photoreceptors in the eyes. During the study of the mitochondria defect on the photorecptors,
the scientists were trying to determine why reduced ATP is the cause in mitochondria Genes
known as ppr having a phototransduction defect which causes an increase in Rhodosin 1
Endocytosis during light exposure.
Throughout the study the scientists did various tests trying to figure out what exactly caused
the photoreceptors to degenerate. They knew that oxidative stress was a cause of degeneration in
the photoreceptors, so they did a couple tests with oxidative stress, but they were trying to find if
there was another cause such as a mitochondrial defect that caused it as well. Most of the time
during the test, they were using light which made sure their tests were accurate and that light was
a cause of degeneration of the photoreceptors. Overall, they did have many different test groups.

The way they decided to determine whether or not the progressive age-dependent decay in
electroretinograms amounts was light-dependent, they chose to raise flies in constant darkness or
a 12 hour light and dark cycle for five weeks. The electroretinograms amounts of mutant
photoreceptors were not affected when the flies are raised in the dark, whereas flies maintained
under a 12 hour light and dark cycle showed diminished electroretinograms amounts.
They also conducted some experiments on a couple of groups of flies that were younger to
see what differences occurred due to the age of the flies. The Scientists who conducted the
experiments also did another test where they had a bunch of 1 week old flies out constantly in the
light and there was a large loss of the mitochondrial gene known as ppr. This allowed them to
come to the conclusion that the mitochondrial defect did impact the photoreceptors when
exposed to light.
They also tested the flies in different lights to see how the different groups reacted to the
blue light versus regular white light. It was determined those in the dark with the condition didnt
seem to have a problem in response to the stimulus of light. Some of the lights were slower to
start the defects process of the degeneration of the photoreceptors. However those that had spent
time in the light had a slower reaction to the exposure to the lights allowing the scientists to learn
that different lights still do affect the defects.
At the end of their tests, they did determine that the degeneration in the photoreceptors
wasnt only caused by oxidative stress; but also that when light is applied to the subject with the
certain mitochondrial defect it causes degeneration of the photoreceptors as well.