Compass component: Blue-light excitation of the photoreceptor cryptochrome generates a transient radical pair by electron transfer from a tryptophan (Trp) at the surface to the flavin cofactor in the center of the protein (see picture; FAD=flavin adenine dinucleotide). Simulated EPR spectra show that the electronic coupling parameters of these radical pairs are suitable for animal magnetoreception.
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Biskup et al. (2008) studied this question.
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