The wild-type circadian period of Neurospora is encoded in the residual network of the null frq mutants

A simple model accurately reproduces the phase angle response of spore formation in arrhythmic Neurospora crassa mutants under temperature cycles.

• Inactivation of the frq gene leads to arrhythmic behavior in Neurospora crassa, characterized by a lack of self-sustained oscillation.
• Phase angle of spore formation in frq mutants is influenced by the period of temperature cycles.
• A damped harmonic oscillator model was developed, reflecting the behavior of frq mutants and aligning with observed phase angles.
• The endogenous period of 21 hours in the model corresponds to that of wild-type Neurospora, indicating a potential timekeeping role for the mutants.
• The model was validated against experimental data, successfully reproducing spore formation patterns under constant conditions.

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