Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Neuroscience

Sleepy and dreamless mutant mice

Nature volume 539, pages 364–365 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Sleep in mammals consists of non-rapid-eye-movement and rapid-eye-movement sleep. A large genetic screen reveals that these two sleep states are altered in mice by mutations dubbed Sleepy and Dreamless. See Article p.378

Some people enjoy getting as much sleep as possible, whereas others claim to need only a few hours each night. Some people remember their dreams well, others don't. What is the genetic basis for these individual differences? In 'forward' genetic screens, genes are mutated at random and the effects of each mutation on a behaviour or biological trait of interest are assessed. On page 378, Funato et al.1 report a large forward genetic screen that identifies two genetic mutations that mediate variations in sleep patterns in mice.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Screening sleep.

Notes

  1. See all news & views

References

  1. Funato, H. et al. Nature 539, 378–383 (2016).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Vitaterna, M. H. et al. Science 264, 719–725 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Franken, P., Malafosse, A. & Tafti, M. Sleep 22, 155–169 (1999).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Franken, P. & Dijk, D. J. Eur. J. Neurosci. 29, 1820–1829 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Baylor, G. W. & Cavallero, C. Sleep 24, 165–170 (2001).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Flourakis, M. et al. Cell 162, 836–848 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dijk, D. J. & Czeisler, C. A. J. Neurosci. 15, 3526–3538 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Krueger, J. M., Frank, M. G., Wisor, J. P. & Roy, S. Sleep Med. Rev. 28, 46–54 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Billiard, M. & Sonka, K. Sleep Med. Rev. 29, 23–33 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Scullin, M. K. & Bliwise, D. L. Sleep 38, 335–336 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Derk-Jan Dijk and Raphaëlle Winsky-Sommerer are in the Surrey Sleep Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XP, UK.,

    Derk-Jan Dijk & Raphaëlle Winsky-Sommerer

Authors
  1. Derk-Jan Dijk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raphaëlle Winsky-Sommerer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Derk-Jan Dijk or Raphaëlle Winsky-Sommerer.

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Circadian rhythms: Depression brought to light

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dijk, DJ., Winsky-Sommerer, R. Sleepy and dreamless mutant mice. Nature 539, 364–365 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20471

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20471

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing