THE ROLE OF HEMOGLOBIN IN THE PHOTOTAXIS OF THE NEMATODE Mermis nigrescens

Abstract A dense zone of crystalline hemoglobin in the head has been presumed to be involved in the photosensitivity of Mermis. With the aim of identifying its role, we have studied the wavelength dependence of the phototaxis. Measuring phototaxic efficiency at constant photon fluence rate (intensity), we find that the spectral response curve is approximately fiat from 350–540 nm and falls to an insignificant level by 580 nm. This is unlike the absorptance (fraction absorbed) spectrum of the hemoglobin pigmentation. Also, fluence-rate/response curves at 420 and 500 nm occur at the same fluence rates even though these wavelengths correspond to a maximum and a minimum of hemoglobin absorption. These results prove that the hemoglobin cannot be functioning as the visual pigment in phototaxis but, for reasons discussed, they neither confirm nor rule out a role as a shadowing pigment. The results are consistent with a shadowing role in the presence of contrast enhancement by the nervous system.
A steep fluence-rate dependence suggests that contrast enhancement does occur in Mermis phototaxis. The 420 or 500 nm fluence rate for half-maximal response is 6 times 10 photons s^-1 cm^-2 (about equivalent in effectiveness to pre-dawn twilight). The wide range of sensitivity, 350–560 nm, has interesting implications as to the nature of the visual pigment.
†NATO reaearch collaborator a n leave from the Department of Biophysics. Laboratorium voor Algemene Natuurkunde, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Westersin-gel 34. 9718 CM Groningen, The Netherlands.