Author:
Lamberti Melisa L.,Spangler Rebecca K.,Cerdeira Victoria,Ares Myriam,Rivollet Lise,Ashley Guinevere E.,Coronado Andrea Ramos,Tripathi Sarvind,Spiousas Ignacio,Ward Jordan D.,Partch Carrie L.,Bénard Claire Y.,Goya M. Eugenia,Golombek Diego A.
Abstract
AbstractCircadian rhythms are endogenous oscillations in nearly all organisms, from prokaryotes to humans, allowing them to adapt to cyclical environments for close to 24 h. Circadian rhythms are regulated by a central clock, based on a transcription-translation feedback loop. One important protein in the central loop in metazoan clocks is PERIOD, which is regulated in part by Casein kinase 1ε/δ (CK1ε/δ) phosphorylation. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, period and casein kinase 1ε/δ are conserved as lin-42 and kin-20, respectively. Here, we studied the involvement of lin-42 and kin-20 in the circadian rhythms of the adult nematode using a bioluminescence-based circadian transcriptional reporter. We show that mutations of lin-42 and kin-20 generate a significantly longer endogenous period, suggesting a role for both genes in the nematode circadian clock, as in other organisms. These phenotypes can be partially rescued by overexpression of either gene under their native promoter. Both proteins are expressed in neurons and epidermal seam cells, as well as in other cells. Depletion of LIN-42 and KIN-20, specifically in neuronal cells after development, was sufficient to lengthen the period of oscillating sur-5 expression. Therefore, we conclude that LIN-42 and KIN-20 are critical regulators of the adult nematode circadian clock through neuronal cells.
Funder
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Agencia Nacional de Promoción de la Investigación, el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación
Universidad Nacional de Quilmes
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC