Understanding circadian rhythmicity in Neurospora crassa: from behavior to genes and back again.

摘要: Circadian clocks have been described in organisms ranging complexity from unicells to mammals, which they function control daily rhythms cellular activities and behavior. The significance of a detailed understanding the clock can be appreciated by its ubiquity established involvement human physiology, including endocrine function, sleep/wake cycles, psychiatric illness, drug tolerances effectiveness. Because all is assembled within cell mechanisms are evolutionarily conserved, simple eukaryotes provide appropriate experimental systems for dissecting clock. Significant progress has made deciphering circadian system Neurospora crassa using both genetic molecular approaches, contributed greatly our (1) feedback cycle that comprises oscillator, (2) kept synchrony with environment, (3) genes reside rhythmic output pathways. Importantly, lessons learned relevant higher eukaryotes.