title: Circadian rhythmicity mediated by temporal regulation of the activity of p38 MAPK.
abstract: Circadian clocks are composed of central oscillators, input pathways that transduce external information to the oscillators, and output pathways that allow the oscillators to temporally regulate cellular processes. Little is known about the output pathways. In this study, we show that the Neurospora crassa osmosensing MAPK pathway, essential for osmotic stress responses, is a circadian output pathway that regulates daily rhythms in the expression of downstream genes. Rhythmic activation of the highly conserved stress-activated p38-type MAPK [Osmotically Sensitive-2 (OS-2)] by the N. crassa circadian clock allows anticipation and preparation for hyperosmotic stress and desiccation that begin at sunrise. These results suggest a conserved role for MAPK pathways in circadian rhythmicity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biological Clocks Research, Faculty of Genetics, and Program for the Biology of Filamentous Fungi, 3258 TAMU Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vitalini
authors.forename: Renato M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Borkovich
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bell-Pedersen
mesh_terms: D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000201:enzymology; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010641:Phenotype; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases