Molecular genetic analysis of circadian rhythms in vertebrates and invertebrates.
In recent years, there has been a flurry of activity directed towards identifying the molecular basis of circadian (approximately 24 h) rhythms. The past year has seen the isolation of the first clock mutations in a number of organisms (mice, Arabidopsis, cyanobacteria), the identification of a new circadian rhythm gene in Drosophila that interacts with the well known period gene, and considerable progress in the analysis of the 'clock genes', period and frequency. A combination of genetic, molecular and biochemical approaches is leading to an emerging picture of how molecular events enable organisms to keep time.
Sehgal
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Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia 19104, USA. Amita@mail.med.upenn.edu
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology*; D008967:Molecular Biology; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000502:physiology*