title: Temperature-sensitive and circadian oscillators of Neurospora crassa share components.
abstract: In Neurospora crassa, the interactions between products of the frequency (frq), frequency-interacting RNA helicase (frh), white collar-1 (wc-1), and white collar-2 (wc-2) genes establish a molecular circadian clockwork, called the FRQ-WC-Oscillator (FWO), which is required for the generation of molecular and overt circadian rhythmicity. In strains carrying nonfunctional frq alleles, circadian rhythms in asexual spore development (conidiation) are abolished in constant conditions, yet conidiation remains rhythmic in temperature cycles. Certain characteristics of these temperature-synchronized rhythms have been attributed to the activity of a FRQ-less oscillator (FLO). The molecular components of this FLO are as yet unknown. To test whether the FLO depends on other circadian clock components, we created a strain that carries deletions in the frq, wc-1, wc-2, and vivid (vvd) genes. Conidiation in this ΔFWO strain was still synchronized to cyclic temperature programs, but temperature-induced rhythmicity was distinct from that seen in single frq knockout strains. These results and other evidence presented indicate that components of the FWO are part of the temperature-induced FLO.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elvin
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heintzen
mesh_terms: D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000235:genetics; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D013696:Temperature