Molecular Genetics of Circadian Rhythms in Mammals

Jun 9, 2000Annual review of neuroscience

Genes that control daily biological clocks in mammals

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Abstract

A conserved set of genes in Drosophila and mammals, including Clock, Bmal1, Period, and Timeless, underpins the molecular framework of circadian oscillators.

These genes are involved in a feedback loop that regulates circadian rhythms.
The core elements of this system generate rhythmic patterns in biological processes.
Environmental factors may influence how the circadian system operates.
Molecular genetic techniques can enhance understanding of the mammalian circadian system.

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Recent gene discovery approaches have led to a new era in our understanding of the molecular basis of circadian oscillators in animals. A conserved set of genes in Drosophila and mammals (Clock, Bmal1, Period, and Timeless) provide a molecular framework for the circadian mechanism. These genes define a transcription-translation-based negative autoregulatory feedback loop that comprises the core elements generating circadian rhythmicity. This circadian core provides a focal point for understanding how circadian rhythms arise, how environmental inputs entrain the oscillatory system, and how the circadian system regulates its outputs. The addition of molecular genetic approaches to the existing physiological understanding of the mammalian circadian system provides new opportunities for understanding this basic life process.

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Molecular Genetics of Circadian Rhythms in Mammals

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