DeBruyne Jason P, Weaver David R, Reppert Steven M
Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA.
Nat Neurosci. 2007 May;10(5):543-5. doi: 10.1038/nn1884. Epub 2007 Apr 8.
Heterodimers of CLOCK and BMAL1, bHLH-PAS transcription factors, are believed to be the major transcriptional regulators of the circadian clock mechanism in mammals. However, a recent study shows that CLOCK-deficient mice continue to exhibit robust behavioral and molecular rhythms. Here we report that the transcription factor NPAS2 (MOP4) is able to functionally substitute for CLOCK in the master brain clock in mice to regulate circadian rhythmicity.
CLOCK和BMAL1这两种bHLH-PAS转录因子的异二聚体,被认为是哺乳动物昼夜节律机制的主要转录调节因子。然而,最近的一项研究表明,缺乏CLOCK的小鼠仍表现出强劲的行为和分子节律。在此我们报告,转录因子NPAS2(MOP4)能够在小鼠主脑生物钟中功能性替代CLOCK,以调节昼夜节律。