Genetic, temporal and developmental differences between melatonin rhythm generating systems in the teleost fish pineal organ and retina.
Complete melatonin rhythm generating systems, including photodetector, circadian clock and melatonin synthesis machinery, are located within individual photoreceptor cells in two sites in Teleost fish: the pineal organ and retina. In both, light regulates daily variations in melatonin secretion by controlling the activity of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT). However, in each species examined to date, marked differences exist between the two organs which may involve the genes encoding the photopigments, genes encoding AANAT, the times of day at which AANAT activity and melatonin production peak and the developmental schedule. We review the fish pineal and retinal melatonin rhythm generating systems and consider the evolutional pressures and other factors which led to these differences.
Falcón
J
J
Laboratoire Arago, UMR 7628, CNRS and University Pierre and Marie Curie, BP 44, F-66651 Banyuls sur Mer, France. falcon@obs-banyuls.fr
Gothilf
Y
Y
Coon
S L
SL
Boeuf
G
G
Klein
D C
DC
D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D055537:Light Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D008550:Melatonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012168:Retinal Pigments; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; D008550:Melatonin