When the core clock gene Bmal1 is active may affect aging and survival

The absence of the Bmal1 gene leads to a loss of circadian rhythms and affects various biological processes in mice.

• Conditional Bmal1 knockout mice exhibited abolished circadian rhythms in wheel-running activity, heart rate, and blood pressure.
• Ocular abnormalities and brain astrogliosis persisted regardless of when Bmal1 was deleted.
• Life span, fertility, body weight, blood glucose levels, and age-dependent joint disease remained unchanged in these mice.
• Atherosclerosis and hair growth showed improvement despite the loss of circadian function.
• Gene expression analysis indicated that oscillatory gene activity was reduced, while overall gene expression levels stayed mostly the same.

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