The Drosophila circadian clock: what we know and what we don't know.
Circadian rhythms are regulated by endogenous body clocks, which are formed by rhythmic cycles of clock gene expression. Almost all reviews of the Drosophila circadian clock state that the intracellular oscillator is based on a simple negative feedback loop. However, not many 'simple' feedback loops in biology last for 24 h. Instead, the Drosophila clock is a series of precisely timed steps that are deliberately slow. In this paper, I will discuss the current model for how the Drosophila clock is regulated, and ask what questions remain to be answered.
Blau
J
J
NYU Department of Biology, 100 Washington Square East, Main Building 1009, New York, NY 10003, USA. justin.blau@nyu.edu
D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000235:genetics; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D017344:Genes, Insect; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D019476:Insect Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors