Finding new clock components: past and future.
The molecular mechanism of circadian clocks has been unraveled primarily by the use of phenotype-driven (forward) genetic analysis in a number of model systems. We are now in a position to consider what constitutes a clock component, whether we can establish criteria for clock components, and whether we have found most of the primary clock components. This perspective discusses clock genes and how genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry have been used to find clock genes in the past and how they will be used in the future.
Takahashi
Joseph S
JS
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neurobiology & Physiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3520, USA. j-takahashi@northwestern.edu.
D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D010641:Phenotype; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C539022:PER1 protein, human; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins