Light, Time, and Beyond: The Multifunctional World of Insect Cryptochrome

This proposal outlines a research collection exploring Cryptochrome (CRY) as a multifunctional molecular hub in insects, extending well beyond its canonical role as a circadian photoreceptor in Drosophila melanogaster. A growing body of evidence places CRY at the intersection of light sensing, magnetic field detection, neural development, and oxidative stress signalling — functions whose interconnections remain poorly understood, particularly across the remarkable diversity of insect taxa. By bringing together studies spanning molecular biophysics, behavioural ecology, comparative genomics, and neuroscience, this collection aims to produce a synthetic understanding of CRY biology that no single subdiscipline could achieve in isolation.Insects display striking variation in their cryptochrome complement, from the light-sensitive Type I CRY of dipterans to the transcriptional repressor Type II CRY of hymenopterans and lepidopterans, with some species expressing both simultaneously. Beyond the well-characterized Drosophila clock, the collection seeks contributions interrogating CRY function across insect orders, with particular interest in the molecular mechanisms of photoperiodism — the day-length measurement governing diapause, migration, and reproduction — and their connections to pest management. Substantial attention is dedicated to CRY's proposed role in magnetoreception via the Radical Pair Mechanism, through which photoexcited CRY may generate spin-correlated electron pairs sensitive to Earth's geomagnetic field; contributions addressing this model in social insects — bees, ants, and termites — are especially encouraged, alongside theoretical and spectroscopic work on the underlying biophysics. The collection further invites studies on CRY's role as a developmental light sensor shaping neural circuit maturation, and on its function as a redox-sensitive node linking light environment to oxidative stress responses — with particular interest in insecticide resistance, diapause, and sustained flight.The scope of this Research Topic encompasses experimental, theoretical, and methodological studies illuminating the multifaceted functions of CRY across insect taxa and contexts. To gather further insights into the integrative roles of CRY in light, time, and magnetism, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Comparative and evolutionary analyses of CRY across insect lineageso Molecular mechanisms of photoperiodism, diapause, and reproductive timingo Radical Pair Mechanism and CRY-mediated magnetoreceptiono Neural developmental roles of CRY and light-dependent circuit formationo Redox regulation and oxidative stress responses linked to CRY signalingo Advanced methodological approaches: CRISPR/Cas9, optogenetics, spectroscopy, and cryo-EMo Applications of CRY biology in insect behavior manipulation, pest control, and pollinator ecology Topic editors: Gabriella Mazzotta, Milena Damulewicz Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80562/light-time-and-beyond-the-multifunctional-world-of-insect-cryptochrome