Genetic Regulation of Circadian Rhythms in Drosophila

R. Allada*, P. Emery

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Studies in Drosophila have established many of the operating principles and molecular components that comprise circadian clocks, including those in humans. The discovery of the clock gene, period, has led to the idea that clocks consist of transcriptional feedback loops. In these loops, the activators, Clock and cycle, induce their own repressors, period and timeless. Phosphorylation modifies these components to control period length. Light synchronizes the clock to the environment through multiple photoreceptors, most notably the blue light photoreceptor, cryptochrome. These molecular clocks are distributed within a defined pacemaker neural network that sustains molecular and behavioral rhythmicity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationEncyclopedia of Neuroscience
PublisherElsevier Ltd
Pages655-661
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)9780080450469
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2009

Keywords

  • Circadian
  • Clock
  • Drosophila
  • Genetics
  • Neural network
  • Period
  • Phosphorylation
  • Photoreceptor
  • Rhythms
  • Transcription

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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