Phosphorylation of CLOCK and BMAL1 as a key control step in the mammalian body clock

Phosphorylation within the DNA-binding domains of CLOCK and BMAL1 is critical for their inactivation.

• The CLOCK-BMAL1 complex is essential for regulating circadian rhythms through transcriptional feedback loops.
• PER and CRY proteins are involved in the repression phase of the CLOCK-BMAL1 complex.
• Recent studies indicate that phosphorylation may modulate the DNA-binding activity of CLOCK and BMAL1.
• A proposed 'displacement' model suggests that phosphorylation is key to CLOCK-BMAL1 inactivation.
• Understanding these mechanisms could provide insights into circadian period regulation.

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