Biology Department, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, USA.
Adv Genet. 2011;74:13-53. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-387690-4.00002-7.
The cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 has been used as the prokaryotic model system for the study of circadian rhythms for the past two decades. Its genetic malleability has been instrumental in the discovery of key input, oscillator, and output components and has also provided monumental insights into the mechanism by which proteins function to maintain and dictate 24-h time. In addition, basic research into the prokaryotic system has led to interesting advances in eukaryotic circadian mechanisms. Undoubtedly, continued genetic and mutational analyses of this single-celled cyanobacterium will aid in teasing out the intricacies of the Kai-based circadian clock to advance our understanding of this system as well as other more "complex" systems.
过去二十年,聚球藻 PCC 7942 一直被用作研究生物钟的原核模式生物。其遗传的可操作性对于发现关键的输入、振荡器和输出组件起到了重要作用,同时也深入揭示了蛋白质如何发挥作用以维持和指示 24 小时时间的机制。此外,对原核系统的基础研究导致了真核生物钟机制的有趣进展。毫无疑问,对这种单细胞蓝藻的持续遗传和突变分析将有助于梳理基于 Kai 的生物钟的复杂性,从而增进我们对该系统以及其他更“复杂”系统的理解。