title: Circadian oscillators in eukaryotes.
abstract: The biological clock, present in nearly all eukaryotes, has evolved such that organisms can adapt to our planet's rotation in order to anticipate the coming day or night as well as unfavorable seasons. As all modern high-precision chronometers, the biological clock uses oscillation as a timekeeping element. In this review, we describe briefly the discovery, historical development, and general properties of circadian oscillators. The issue of temperature compensation (TC) is discussed, and our present understanding of the underlying genetic and biochemical mechanisms in circadian oscillators are described with special emphasis on Neurospora crassa, mammals, and plants.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Organelle Research, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingunn W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Jolma
authors.affiliation: The Gade Institute, Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, N-5021 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Ole Didrik
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Laerum
authors.affiliation: Centre of Organelle Research, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lillo
authors.affiliation: Centre of Organelle Research, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics; D049490:Systems Biology; D013696:Temperature