Circadian clocks: self-assembling oscillators?
Circadian clocks are auto-regulatory loops in which 'clock' gene products feedback to regulate their own expression. This explains how they keep oscillating, but how do they first get going? It appears that the transcription factor dClock not only drives the oscillation within the fruit fly's clock, but also plays a pivotal role in pre-assembling the clockwork.
Hastings
Michael H
MH
Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, CB2 2QH, Cambridge, UK.
D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
C120526:Clk protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D056926:CLOCK Proteins