The active CLOCK protein is not needed for timing heart clock genes to restricted feeding in Clock mutant mice

Restricted feeding shifted the circadian phase of mPer2 and BMAL1 mRNA expressions in the heart of both wild-type and Clock mutant mice.

• The circadian expression of mPer2 and BMAL1 mRNAs increased significantly in Clock mutant mice when subjected to restricted feeding.
• Functional CLOCK is not necessary for the adjustment of peripheral clocks in response to restricted feeding.
• Expression levels of DBP and Rev-erbalpha mRNAs were consistently lower in Clock mutant mice, regardless of feeding conditions.
• The findings suggest that the regulatory mechanisms for peripheral tissues under restricted feeding differ from those of the central clock in the brain.

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