title: Metabolic cycles as an underlying basis of biological oscillations.
abstract: The evolutionary origins of periodic phenomena in biology, such as the circadian cycle, the hibernation cycle and the sleep-wake cycle, remain a mystery. We discuss the concept of temporal compartmentalization of metabolism that takes place during such cycles, and suggest that cyclic changes in a cell's metabolic state might be a fundamental driving force for such biological oscillations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75390, USA. bentu@biochem.swmed.edu
authors.forename: Benjamin P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: McKnight
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006605:Hibernation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology*