CLOCK stabilizes CYCLE to initiate clock function in Drosophila

Oct 5, 2017Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

CLOCK helps stabilize CYCLE to start the internal clock in fruit flies

AI simplified

Abstract

CLK binds to and stabilizes CYC in cell culture and in nonclock cells in vivo.

  • Circadian clocks operate in approximately 150 brain pacemaker neurons and various peripheral tissues.
  • CLK-CYC heterodimers initiate transcription of genes that encode feedback repressors, PERIOD and TIMELESS.
  • Ectopic clocks can be induced in nonclock cells by expressing CLK, although CYC expression remains limited to canonical clock cells.
  • The blue light photoreceptor CRYPTOCHROME (CRY) is essential for light entrainment and clock function in peripheral tissues.
  • Mechanisms governing circadian activator stability may be conserved across all eukaryotes.

AI simplified

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

what lands in your inbox each week:

  • 📚7 fresh studies
  • 📝plain-language summaries
  • direct links to original studies
  • 🏅top journal indicators
  • 📅weekly delivery
  • 🧘‍♂️always free