Cellular Mechanisms of Circadian Rhythm Generation

9319928罗伯茨活细胞有规律地经历有丝分裂活动期，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，在一种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。在这项提案中，迈克尔·罗伯茨博士将尝试确定这些蛋白质在神经组织中的功能。罗伯茨博士将测试这一假设，即昼夜节律(生理功能的变化，周期大约为24小时)是由同样的蛋白质之间的周期性相互作用产生的，否则这些蛋白质就会调节细胞分裂。这些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和生化信息，结果应该可以让我们理解在广泛的生物体内内源节律的控制。

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.