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Biotech Science

Squid Eye for the Reflective Guy 49

Posted by michael from the nice-title dept.
gdyas writes "This week's Science details the discovery and characterization of a new class of proteins found only in squids called reflectins that create a soft, mirror-like surface by forming silvery reflective plates. The squid combines the use of these mirror-proteins with a lens and musculature that allow it to focus the light produced by symbiotic bacteria in its eyes in order to search for food. The possibilities for these proteins in nanotechnology and optics are very intriguing."
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Squid Eye for the Reflective Guy More

Squid Eye for the Reflective Guy

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  • Havent you guys read Harry Potter? GEE!
  • Imagine the blinding power of high output LEDs coupled with these reflecins...mwahahahahaha
  • Can't read the article without it. The National Geographic article is either talking about a different type of squid, or the submitter is wrong:

    According to the linked National Geographic article, the nocturnal squid uses the light source to mimic moonlight and mask its own shadow from predators. A much more interesting use than a flashlight to search for food.

    • Re:Anyone have a subscription to Science? (Score:4, Informative)

      by datababe72 ( 244918 ) on Tuesday January 13, 2004 @04:42PM (#7966469)
      I do... but I'm afraid its not much help for the question you ask. Here is all the Science article says on the subject:

      "The Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) (Fig. 1A) is similar to other cephalopod species that have been studied (6-9) in having both variably reflective tissues, such as the skin of the mantle, and statically reflective tissues, such as those associated with the eye, digestive gland, and light organ. The reflector of the bilobed light organ is a particularly well-developed tissue (Fig. 1, A to D) that modulates the luminescence produced by a population of the symbiotic bacterium Vibrio fischeri (10, 11). On each side of the adult light organ, symbiont-containing epithelial tissue comprises a core that is surrounded by the thick silvery reflector. Together with a muscle-derived lens, these dioptrics function to direct the bacterial luminescence ventrally (11). "

      However, a quick Internet search turned up this old article [sciencenews.org], which seems to support the camouflage use of the organ. But it also sounds like we don't really know how the squid uses its light organ. Its not like we can just ask it! Like many things, it may have more than one use.

      And here is Dr. McFall-Ngai's webpage [hawaii.edu], which summarizes her research and lists her other publications.

  • The really interesting thing... (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    ...is in whatever system the squid use to selectively allow this one species of symbiotic bacteria to infect a specific area of tissue in its eye without compromising the rest of its immune system.
    • That's not really too interesting. Your gut is full of bacteria, and manages to keep them from infecting the rest of your body usually.
      • That's interesting as well.

        I think you basically chmod the bacteria so that they have executable rights, but selectively so that they can only execute when located in /dev/stomach. They can't even be written to other areas unless something catastrophic happens such as an appendix overflow exploit or a gut wound attack.

    • Re:The really interesting thing... (Score:4, Informative)

      by stonecypher ( 118140 ) <stonecypher&gmail,com> on Tuesday January 13, 2004 @07:04PM (#7968037) Homepage Journal
      ...is in whatever system the squid use to selectively allow this one species of symbiotic bacteria to infect a specific area of tissue in its eye without compromising the rest of its immune system.

      You know that most species have symbiotes, right? You realize that you have over 50 symbiotes in your lower intestine doing digestions that you cannot, yes? Same process, I wager.

      That's why E. Coli in food is so dangerous - not because it's particularly nasty, but because our immune system refuses to respond to it, so if it gets out of check you're not going to flush it on your own.
      • Normal E. coli (the stuff in your intestines) is ok anywhere in your body (your body's immune system gobbles them up without a problem). The bad strain is called O157:H7. This strain produces cytotoxins similar to Shiga toxins (named after the bacteria which causes dysentery). Regular E. coli don't produce nasty toxins.

  • Squid Eye for the Reflective Guy (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Is this is new reality show where squid redecorate the Silver Surfers apartment?
  • I wish I had this when younger, with all the late reading at night...
    • I wish I had this when younger, with all the late reading at night...

      Give the DNA and nano people some time, and flashlights for eyes will qualify for a big yawn. I tell ya, things are going to get weird. Really really weird.

      Fortunately, I'll be dead and gone and won't have to deal with any of it.

  • Squid's Flashlight May Lead to New Nanolights (Score:4, Informative)

    by rpiquepa ( 644694 ) on Tuesday January 13, 2004 @04:41PM (#7966458) Homepage
    Science wasn't the only source to report about these Hawaiian squids. When I commented about this on my blog [weblogs.com] three days ago, I was mentioning other articles from Scientific American [sciam.com] or Ananova [ananova.com]. In particular, Scientific American said that this small squid has "a built-in flashlight made up of a previously unknown type of protein," that the authors of the study *dubbed* "reflectin". I'm not sure if this will lead to future nanolight tools, but at least it's *very intriguing* and Ananova reports that "the structure of the reflecting plates could offer inspiration to nanotechnology designers." My blog contains more details and includes a picture of the cute three-inch-long Hawaiian bobtail squid.
    • Ah, but Science is the original source... i.e., it has published the article from the researchers describing their research. This article is peer-reviewed, and is what any other scientist in the field would want to read to really evaluate the research.

      Scientific American, Ananova, and any other site, is summarizing the published research, and perhaps supplementing it with interviews with the researchers and others in the field. There's absolutely nothing wrong with using them as your source, but the Scienc
      • I agree with you, but if you're not a Science subscriber, you only can read abstracts -- and only after registration. If you're a lucky paying subscriber to Science, you obviously can read their peer-reviewed papers. If you're not, you can only read comments from other sources. Roland.
  • ...and I'm really starting to have trouble remembering which articles are actually dupes here.
  • tired of the ____ Eye for the _____ Guy cutesy?
    Fourth variation I've seen today.
  • Isn't this the same phenomenon that makes cats' eyes "glow" at the right angles?

    • Re:Doesn't this happen elsewhere? (Score:4, Informative)

      by iggymanz ( 596061 ) on Tuesday January 13, 2004 @06:24PM (#7967630)
      Cats, dogs, cows & horses have a reflective membrane called the tapetum behind their retina, which merely reflects light (which was not absorbed by the first pass through the retina) back into the retina - no bacteria involved.
    • Isn't this the same phenomenon that makes cats' eyes "glow" at the right angles?

      No, cats don't have "light produced by symbiotic bacteria" coming out of their eyes. Their eyes only glow when your headlights shine into them. But not for long.

      (No animals were harmed by this comment, though the humor-impaired may have flinched a bit. I'm in a foul mood, and my wit seems to be affected.)

  • far out idea, solar sails (Score:3, Interesting)

    by kippy ( 416183 ) on Tuesday January 13, 2004 @05:32PM (#7967034)
    I'm a space nut so bear with me.

    I wonder how light and durable these reflective proteins are. One big problem with getting solar sails and space mirrors to work is deploying them. One solution is to build them in place but having a factory in space is just about as troublesome as launching them pre-made and trying to unfold them properly.

    If there's a biological way to grow something with the right properties, it may be a better solution.

    Like I said, far out idea.
    • An interesting idea... I am not a space nut, nor a materials science person. But I know a lot about proteins, so I'll tell you what I know on that front.

      For the protein to exhibit its reflective properties it needs to be in the correct "fold", ot three-dimensional shape. Some proteins maintain thier fold better than others. I once studied a protein that could be boiled in urea and still not fully unfold. Other proteins will unfold if you look at them funny. Of course, you can use protein engineering to try
      • fair enough. Space mirrors and solar sails are generaly predicted to be vast expanses (hundreds of square kilometers!) of what amounts to be birthday baloon mylar. thin, light, strong plastic with an aluminum coating on one side.

        For the protein to work, it would have to be able to withstand a vacuum, all types of radiation, and bitter cold. Probably a tall order for an organic molecule. It would also have to be lighter than aluminum and the manufacture process would have to be less troublesome. Yeah,
    • hmmm one BIG problem I see is that anything organic in nature would seem to require the things we only have here, on Earth. So 'growing' something in the vacuum of space seems like a very difficult proposition.

  • Sweet... (Score:2, Funny)

    by BeatdownGeek ( 687929 )
    Maybe now I can finally get that shine job [imdb.com] I've always wanted!
  • I checked the national geo article and nowhere does it say the light comes from the eyes.
  • The simplicity of this reflectin protein is astounding.

    It can take months to sequence some human proteins, yet the squid uses a mere 6 amino acids to construct his "flashlight".

    Is there a single protein in the human body that uses only 5 amino acids? Makes one wonder if a cost of evolution is biochemical inefficiency.
    • Who is to say that _SQUID_ are not more evolved than us?

      The problem with evolution is it implies a superiority which can only be described in Mans terms.

      When I hear a dolphin telling me that "Man is the evolutionary master", I'll believe it, but not until then...

    • Re:Natural Genius with Tenacles (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Is there a single protein in the human body that uses only 5 amino acids?

      Thyrotropin-releasing factor [indstate.edu] only uses 3 if you need a random example.

      Makes one wonder if a cost of evolution is biochemical inefficiency.

      You are a very silly person.

  • Blame Canada! (Broadcasting Corporation) (Score:3, Informative)

    by Guano_Jim ( 157555 ) on Wednesday January 14, 2004 @01:33PM (#7975745)
    Bioluminescent squid and their symbiotes were also covered [radio.cbc.ca] (ogg file) on Quirks and Quarks, a CBC science show.

    I'm all about glowing calamari, you see.

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