光对植物生物钟的调节

植物中的许多生理和生化反应都表现出一种内源的近似于24小时的昼夜节律现象,这些昼夜节律现象受生物钟的调节。高等植物的生物钟系统由输入途径、中央振荡器、输出途径以及一个阀门效应器组成。光信号通过光敏色素和隐花色素进入生物钟,使中央振荡器产生振荡,改变生物钟的输出信号,引起各种生理反应。本文综述了光信号对高等植物生物钟的调节作用和转导途径。     

蓝藻生物钟信号输出途径分子机制的研究进展

昼夜节律生物钟包括信号输入途径、核心振荡器和信号输出途径。在生物钟振荡周期与环境信号的同步过程中,信号输入途径感应外界环境的时间变化信号致使生物钟振荡周期和环境同步,并将其输入途径接受的外界信息传递给核心振荡器,核心振荡器再通过不同输出途径将周期性时间信号传递出去,产生周期性的信号调控作用。主要对蓝藻生物钟已知的三条主要输出途径KaiC-SasA-RpaA、KaiC-LabARpaA和KaiC-CikA-RpaA及其相关调节因子的分子机制研究进展进行综述。     

昆虫生物钟分子调控研究进展

昆虫生物钟节律的研究是人类了解生物节律的重要途径。昆虫在生理和行为上具有广泛的节律活动,如运动、睡眠、学习记忆、交配、嗅觉等节律活动,其中昼夜活动行为节律的研究广泛而深入。昆虫乃至高等动物普遍具有保守的昼夜节律系统,昼夜生物钟节律主要包括输入系统:用于接受外界光和温度等环境信号并传入核心振荡器,使得生物时钟与环境同步;核心时钟系统:自我维持的昼夜振荡器;输出系统:将生物钟产生的信号传递出去而控制生物行为和生理的节律变化。早期分子和遗传学研究主要关注昼夜节律振荡器的分子机制及神经生物学,阐明了昼夜生物钟节律的主要分子机制及相关神经网络。最近更多的研究关注生物钟信号是如何输入和输出。本文以果蝇运动节律的相关研究为主要内容,围绕生物钟输入系统、振荡器、输出系统这3个组成部分对昆虫生物钟研究进展进行总结。     

粗糙脉孢菌及其他真菌中生物钟系统研究进展

地球自转形成的昼夜交替促使地球上的生物在体内进化出了能够测量时间的"生物钟"系统,此系统由输入途径、核心振荡器和输出途径3部分组成。"光逃避"假说为生物钟的进化提供了一种合理的解释。作为研究生物钟的理想模式生物之一,粗糙脉孢菌生物钟的核心振荡器是由正调控因子WC-1、WC-2和负调控因子FRQ、FRH组成的一个基于转录/翻译的负反馈调控环路。输入途径感知光照、温度等环境信号并将其传递到核心振荡器,进而调控下游一系列钟控基因表达,输出昼夜节律。此外,粗糙脉孢菌中还存在不依赖于WC复合体的frq基因的转录,其调控方式的解析进一步丰富了生物钟的调控网络。最后,通过比较并探索其他真菌中生物钟系统组成及运行机制,使我们对真菌生物钟的进化历程及生物体对环境的整体适应性有了更加全面而深刻的认识。     

铜绿微囊藻生物钟蛋白KaiA的自身相互作用研究

正蓝藻虽为原核生物,但它也和真核生物一样具有生物钟,它的固氮作用、光合作用、氨基酸吸收、细胞分裂以及基因表达等生理代谢过程都受到生物钟的调控,具有昼夜节律性。虽然蓝藻生物钟和真核生物钟一样,都以近24h的周期运行,都具有温度补偿效应,光、温等环境因素都能重置生物钟的时相,但组成蓝藻生物钟的钟蛋白与真核生物钟蛋白间不具有任何同源性,蓝藻生物钟的计时机制也与真核生物钟存在差异1-2。蓝藻钟基因为一个基因簇kai,由三个基因kaiA、kaiB、kaiC以单一拷贝成簇排列,Kai蛋白组成蓝藻生物钟的核心即中央振荡器,其中kaiC蛋白的磷酸化状态是中央振荡器产生周期性震荡的关键,它决定中央振荡器的时相,而kaiC的磷酸化状态则受到kaiA和kaiB的调节。kaiA是接受和整合环境信息的钟蛋白,具有N-端和C-端两个结构域,N-端缺乏保守天冬氨酰残基的伪接受域能通过与输入途径的某种蛋白(目前未知)发生相互作用而感受环境信号       

视交叉上核在昼夜节律中的作用

下丘脑的视交叉上核被称为中枢生物钟,在昼夜节律的产生中起到至关重要的作用。视交叉上核内含有多种类型的神经元,并在神经元化学表型、神经输入和输出方面存在差异,从而在昼夜节律功能中起到不同的作用。现对视交叉上核的神经元组成及在昼夜节律功能中的分化作用进行探讨。利用节律分裂这一现象阐明视交叉上核功能输出的结构基础。同时,也探讨了其他脑区内生物钟的可能功能以及生物钟与其他节律现象(如食物牵引的振荡器)的相互关系。     

果蝇昼夜节律生物钟机制研究进展

昼夜节律生物钟包括输入途径、生物钟本身和输出途径。果蝇作为昼夜节律生物钟研究的前沿模式生物需被进一步了解。本文对果蝇昼夜节律生物钟的钟基因、激酶和磷酸酶的调控、两个相互依赖的转录/翻译反馈环路、生物钟细胞和昼夜节律行为进行了综述。     

KaiA调控蓝藻生物钟的分子机制研究进展

蓝藻生物钟系统主要包括输入途径、核心振荡器和输出途径3部分,核心振荡器主要由时钟蛋白KaiA、KaiB、KaiC构成。3种蛋白之间的相互作用产生节律信号及调控输入、输出信号进而维持生物振荡的精确与稳定。文中围绕蓝藻生物钟核心振荡器及核心振荡器组成蛋白的结构、功能与相互作用特点,结合本实验室近期取得的研究成果,针对时钟蛋白KaiA调节KaiC的酶活性、介导核心振荡器的时相重置、与CikA竞争KaiB的结合位点等方面近年来的研究进展进行了综述。     

生物钟与衰老的相关研究进展

众所周知,从单细胞生物到人,几乎所有生物体在生理和行为上都表现出昼夜节律.内源性生物钟是产生昼夜节律的物质基础,由母钟和子钟组成,母钟位于下丘脑视交叉上核(SCN),子钟位于各个外周组织(肝脏、心脏等).随着机体的逐渐衰老,反应生物钟输出信号的生理昼夜节律在振荡幅度、振荡周期和表达时相等方面发生了相应的变化.另一方面,生物钟控制的生理昼夜节律影响衰老的进程,生物钟功能紊乱会严重加速机体的衰老.本文概述了衰老与生物钟之间的相关研究进展,为进一步认识衰老机制及其对机体的影响提供了线索.     

哺乳动物昼夜节律生物钟研究进展

昼夜节律生物钟是一种以近似24小时为周期的自主维持的振荡器,在分子水平上,该振荡器是一个由9个基因组成的转录翻译反馈环路系统。它能受外界环境影响重新设置节律,使自身机体活动处于最佳状态。除了进行自我调节外,生物钟基因还能通过调节代谢途径中特定基因表达而影响机体生理生化过程。在过去的几年里,借用遗传学和分子生物学工具,我们对哺乳动物昼夜节律生物钟的分子基础有了新的认识,本文综述了这一进展,并展望了它们在研究人的昼夜节律行为异常领域的前景。     

Circadian rhythms of indoleamines and serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity in the pineal gland

Conclusion The circadian rhythm of melatonin synthesis in the pineal glands of various species has been summarized. The night-time elevation of melatonin content is in most if not all cases regulated by the change of N-acetyltransferase activity. In mammals, the N-acetyltransferase rhythm is controlled by the central nervous system, presumably by suprachiasmatic nuclei in hypothalamus through the superior cervical ganglion. In birds, the circadian oscillator that regulates the N-acetyltransferase rhythm is located in the pineal glands. The avian pineal gland may play a biological clock function to control the circadian rhythms in physiological, endocrinological and biochemical processes via pineal hormone melatonin.     

The influence of light on circarhythms in humans

The present review discusses two types of biological rhythms, namely, circadian rhythms and circannual rhythms. Humans possess a circadian rhythm of approximately 24 hours, which is regulated by neural and hormonal processes. The synchronisation of this rhythm with the solar day and night is maintained through entrainment mainly by light. Dark environments completely lacking windows may have a negative effect on well-being and work capacity. During shift work the biological clock tends to maintain its normal 'diurnal' rhythm, which may lead to extreme tiredness and increased risk of accidents. Negative effects such as these may be partially alleviated by means of bright light during the night. During air travel across several time zones there is little time for the biological clock to adjust, but the resulting 'jet lag' may possibly be overcome by means of appropriately timed exposure to bright light. In countries situated far from the equator, the biological clock may become seriously disrupted during the short days of the dark season. Characterised by fatigue, sadness and sleep problems, these seasonal affective disorders may be cured or alleviated by means of regular periods outdoors, better lighting indoors, or, in the most serious cases, light therapy.     

Regulation of output from the plant circadian clock

Plants, like many other organisms, have endogenous biological clocks that enable them to organize their physiological, metabolic and developmental processes so that they occur at optimal times. The best studied of these biological clocks are the circadian systems that regulate daily (approximately 24 h) rhythms. At the core of the circadian system in every organism are oscillators responsible for generating circadian rhythms. These oscillators can be entrained (set) by cues from the environment, such as daily changes in light and temperature. Completing the circadian clock model are the output pathways that provide a link between the oscillator and the various biological processes whose rhythms it controls. Over the past few years there has been a tremendous increase in our understanding of the mechanisms of the oscillator and entrainment pathways in plants and many useful reviews on the subject. In this review we focus on the output pathways by which the oscillator regulates rhythmic plant processes. In the first part of the review we describe the role of the circadian system in regulation at all stages of a plant's development, from germination and growth to reproductive development as well as in multiple cellular processes. Indeed, the importance of a circadian clock for plants can be gauged by the fact that so many facets of plant development are under its control. In the second part of the review we describe what is known about the mechanisms by which the circadian system regulates these output processes.     

Timeless与生物钟基因

综述了timeless基因的发现、多态性和重要功能。timeless是最先被发现的两个生物钟基因之一。生物钟的昼夜节律由PER、TIM、CLOCK和CYCLE4个生物钟齿轮组成的正负反馈回路进行调节。其中TIM可以受光因子调控,它还可以与PER形成异二聚体,通过正负调控方式调节果蝇的昼夜节律行为。     

The Role of Ions and Second Messengers in Circadian Clock Function

The fact that single cells can exhibit circadian rhythmicity simultaneously in quite different processes, such as those of photosynthesis, bioluminescence, and cell division, suggests that membrane-bound compartmentalization is important for temporal organization. Since these rhythms, as well as others, are known to be affected by changes in the ionic environment and are probably membrane-bound systems, it is not surprising that transmembrane ion transport or flux has been proposed to be a key feature of the underlying circadian oscillator(s). Likewise, signal transduction along the entrainment pathway leading to the clock, among the elements, or “gears,” of the timing loop itself, and within the output pathway between the oscillator and its “hands” likely is mediated by ions and second messengers. In this overview, we examine the theoretical and experimental evidence supporting the possible roles of intracellular free calcium and cyclic AMP in these capacities, particularly in view of the fact that oscillations in the concentrations of both species have been proposed to form the basis of pacemaker activity and other biological rhythms.