Tales from the crypt(ochromes).
Cryptochromes are a family of flavoproteins found in organisms ranging from Arabidopsis to man. Across phylogeny, these proteins have been used for pleiotropic functions ranging from blue-light-dependent development in plants and blue-light-mediated phase shifting of the circadian clock in insects to a core circadian clock component in mammals. Review of the roles of cryptochromes in model organisms reveals several common themes: Multiple cryptochrome family members within individual organisms have redundant functions; cryptochromes used in photic entrainment pathways of the circadian clock are partially redundant with other photopigments; and cryptochromes may function in circadian phototransduction and core clock mechanisms in the same organism, with different functions in different tissues. The present review summarizes recent research on the functions of cryptochrome in the circadian timekeeping and photic entrainment pathways.
Van Gelder
Russell N
RN
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. vangelder@vision.wustl.edu
D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D056931:Cryptochromes; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
D056931:Cryptochromes; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005420:Flavoproteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C119828:cry protein, Drosophila