Cellular Mechanisms of Circadian Rhythm Generation

活细胞有规律地经历有丝分裂活动的周期，最近的研究表明，这与控制分裂过程的两个蛋白质家族成员之间的节律性联系有关。有趣的是，在细胞不再分裂的组织中发现了这些蛋白质家族的成员：大脑。在这个提议中，迈克尔·罗伯茨博士将试图确定这些蛋白质在神经组织中的功能。罗伯茨博士将检验一个假设，即昼夜节律（生理功能的变化，周期约为24小时）是由调节细胞分裂的相同蛋白质之间的周期性相互作用产生的。实验将在海洋软体动物Bulla的昼夜节律起搏器上进行。在这个模型系统中，可以获得相关的生理生化信息，其结果应该使我们能够了解各种生物体内的内源性节律控制。

9319928 Roberts Living cells regularly cycle through periods of mitotic activity, and recent work has suggested that this is related to the rhythmic association between members of two protein families that control the division process. Interestingly, members of these protein families have been found in a tissue whose cells no longer divide: the brain. In this proposal Dr. Michael Roberts will attempt to determine the function of these proteins in nervous tissue. Dr. Roberts will test the hypothesis that circadian rhythms (changes in physiological functions that have a cycle with approximately a 24 hour period) are generated by periodic interactions between the same proteins that otherwise regulate cell division. The experiments will be conducted on a circadian pacemaker in the marine mollusk, Bulla. In this model system, correlated physiological and biochemical information can be obtained and the results should allow us to understand the control of endogenous rhythms in a wide range of living organisms.