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Assignment of circadian function for the Neurospora clock gene frequency

Nature volume 399, pages 584–586 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Circadian clocks consist of three elements: entrainment pathways (inputs), the mechanism generating the rhythmicity (oscillator), and the output pathways that control the circadian rhythms. It is difficult to assign molecular clock components to any one of these elements. Experiments show that inputs can be circadianly regulated1,2,3 and outputs can feed back on the oscillator4,5. Mathematical simulations indicate that under- or overexpression of a gene product can result in arrhythmicity, whether the protein is part of the oscillator or substantially part of a rhythmically expressed input pathway6. To distinguish between these two possibilities, we used traditional circadian entrainment protocols7,8 on a genetic model system, Neurospora crassa.

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Figure 1: Circadian entrainment of frq + by 12 h temperature cycles (a, 16–32 °C; b, 22–27 °C; 6 h low (grey) and 6 h high (white) temperature in constant darkness).
Figure 2: Temperature cycles and circadian entrainment of frq mutants.
Figure 3: frq mRNA levels in temperature cycles (22–27 °C, shading as in Fig. 1) for frq + (filled circles) and frq 9 (open circles).
Figure 4: Light:dark cycles do not produce circadian entrainment.

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Acknowledgements

This work is dedicated to the memory of J. Aschoff. We thank V. Schiewe, A. Kohnert and G. Meyer for excellent technical assistance; the members of the Woody Hastings lab for comments on the manuscript; and the DFG, the Meyer-Struckmann-Stiftung and the Münchner Medizinische Wochenschrift for support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institutes for Medical Psychology and,

    Martha Merrow & Till Roenneberg

  2. Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig Maximilians University, Goethestrasse 31-33, 80336, München, Germany

    Michael Brunner

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  1. Martha Merrow
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Correspondence to Martha Merrow or Till Roenneberg.

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Merrow, M., Brunner, M. & Roenneberg, T. Assignment of circadian function for the Neurospora clock gene frequency. Nature 399, 584–586 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/21190

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