A P element with a novel fusion of reporters identifies regular, a C2H2 zinc-finger gene downstream of the circadian clock.
Elucidating the mechanisms that link the circadian pacemaker to the timing of behaviors it controls is one of the greatest challenges in circadian biology. We report the generation of a P element, Pluc+, containing a novel reporter fusion. Our fusion reporter capitalizes on the use of luciferase bioluminescence to easily analyze temporal expression as well as the strength of myc epitopes and GFP to identify spatial expression. Using Pluc+ we have identified and characterized a novel C2H2 zinc-finger gene, regular (rgr), that cycles circadianly in phase with period (per) gene expression, but shifts to light-dark regulation in Clk(Jrk) mutant flies. By following myc expression of the Pluc+ reporter, we demonstrate that Rgr is expressed in a discrete number of neurons in the brain which overlap with axons expressing pigment-dispersing factor.
Scully
Audra L
AL
Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. ascully@acadia-pharm.com
Zelhof
Andrew C
AC
Kay
Steve A
SA
D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins