Light-induced modification of Drosophila retinal polypeptides in vivo.

The effect of light on the polypeptide map profile of the Drosophila eye preparation was examined by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results show (i) that illuminating the living fly reversibly changes the isoelectric points of three classes of polypeptides specific for the photoreceptor layer and (ii) that the norpA mutation, which prevents the generation of the receptor potential, blocks the modifications.