title: Real-Time Recording of Circadian Per1 and Per2 Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus of Freely Moving Rats.
abstract: Measuring real-time gene activity in the brains of freely moving animals presents a challenging issue in neuroscience research. Circadian gene expression in neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a small nucleus in the hypothalamus, is reflected in behavioral rhythmicity. Cellular oscillatory gene expression is generated by a transcription-translation feedback loop of clock genes including 2 oscillatory genes, Per1 and Per2. Here we have succeeded in real-time monitoring of Per1 and Per2 transcription separately by detecting the bioluminescence of luciferase (luc) reporters using a plastic optical fiber inserted into the SCN of freely moving rats. Per1-luc and Per2-luc rhythms peaked in the middle and late subjective day, respectively, which was confirmed by quantitative PCR-based measurements of SCN tissue samples. Studies of in vivo transcriptional states of clock genes in freely moving animals should improve our understanding of how clock gene expression is reflected in behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan yoshiy@pharm.kyoto-u.ac.jp okamurah@pharm.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics and Intelligent Systems, Tohoku Institute of Technology, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tei
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kinki University, Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasufumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shigeyoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan yoshiy@pharm.kyoto-u.ac.jp okamurah@pharm.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008156:Luciferases; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C539024:Per1 protein, rat; C513311:Per2 protein, rat; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008156:Luciferases
keywords: circadian; clock gene; optical fiber; period; real-time monitoring; suprachiasmatic nucleus