斑马鱼生物钟分子遗传学和基因组学研究进展

生物钟是生物长期适应地球昼夜循环变化而演化的内在自持的计时机制。生物钟对分子、生化、细胞、生理和行为等基本生命过程起到重要的调节作用。生物钟紊乱会导致机体失调而引发各类疾病。斑马鱼作为一种重要的脊椎动物模型在研究生物钟方面有其独特的特点与优势。现主要综述利用转基因技术、突变体分析和转录组手段等解析斑马鱼生物钟调节机制的最新进展。     

斑马鱼视觉系统生物钟的研究进展

斑马鱼视觉系统生物钟相关研究在近些年取得了一定的进展。现主要对斑马鱼视觉系统中受生物钟调控的形态学、视觉功能、电生理等特性进行总结,并初步探讨其内源性机制。同时,也概括了近年来在斑马鱼松果体方面的研究进展,尤其是松果体的感光特性和发育过程,及其在斑马鱼生物钟形成中的作用。     

核受体Rev-erbs的研究进展

Rev-erbα和Rev-erbβ是核受体Rev-erbs家族的两个成员.它们有相似的结构和功能,广泛参与调节生物钟基因、脂、糖代谢以及细胞分化等机体一系列的生理和代谢活动.研究表明:Rev-erbs是机体生物钟紊乱,脂、糖代谢异常甚至肿瘤发生的重要调节因子之一,因此对Rev-erbs的研究受到极度重视.就Rev-erbs的结构、组织分布、转录调节机理及其参与调节机体生物钟紊乱,脂、糖代谢、免疫应答进行了综述.     

生物钟对植物非生物胁迫应答调控的进展

生物钟是一种控制植物节律性生长发育的内源性系统,可以辅助植物预知周围光照、温度和湿度环境的变化,以其核心振荡器为主要调控元件,通过细胞内关键基因的表达水平、蛋白互作从而形成信号转导通路和反馈调节回路,指导植物作出相应的表型调整,对提高植物在逆境条件下的生存适应能力具有重要的作用。本研究综述了植物在寒冷、干旱、高盐的极端环境下,生物钟关键基因CCA1/LHY、PRRs和GI等参与胁迫应答的调控方式,以及在调控过程中生物钟对脱落酸、乙烯、细胞分裂素和茉莉酸合成及代谢的影响。以植物的基因功能和激素调节为切入点,为运用现代分子生物技术手段提高植物非生物抗逆性的研究提供理论依据。     

生物钟基因与脂质代谢紊乱

生物钟是生物适应环境节律变化形成的特殊生理机制,具有一定的节律性。生物钟基因被证实参与调节多种生物生理活动,如生物的各种代谢活动、细胞的凋亡与坏死、肿瘤的发生与发展和炎症反应等。其中,脂质代谢作为一项重要的代谢活动,其紊乱可能诱发高血脂症、动脉粥样硬化等疾病。脂质代谢的调节受生物钟相关基因的调节。本文就有关生物钟的生理机制及生物钟基因参与脂质代谢调节的研究进行综述。     

哺乳动物生物钟的遗传和表观遗传研究进展

生物钟对生物机体的生存与环境适应具有着重要意义,其相关研究近年来受到人们的广泛关注。生物钟的重要性质之一是内源节律的周期性,当前的研究认为这种周期性是由生物钟相关基因转录翻译的多反馈环路构成核心机制调控着近似24 h的节律振荡。哺乳动物的生物钟系统存在一个多层次的结构,包括位于视交叉上核的主时钟和外周器官和组织的子时钟。虽然主时钟和子时钟存在的组织不同,但是参与调节生物钟的分子机制是一致的。近年来,通过正向、反向遗传学方法和表观遗传学的研究方法,对生物钟的分子机制的解析和认知愈发深入。本文在简单回顾生物钟基因发现历史的基础上,重点从遗传学和表观遗传学两个方面,从振荡周期的角度,对哺乳动物生物钟分子机制的研究进展进行了综述性介绍,以期为靶向调节生物钟来改善机体的稳态系统的研究提供参考,同时希望能促进时间生物学领域与更多其他领域形成交叉研究。     

生物钟基因系统功能异常与心血管疾病和消化疾病的关联性机制研究

生物体内源性生物钟产生的昼夜节律是以近24 h的节律性振荡对外界环境变化进行的综合性调节反应,其产生的分子基础是生物钟基因及其编码的蛋白质组成的转录-翻译反馈环路,其中生物钟基因可作用于下游钟控基因而调节机体各项生理功能。昼夜节律紊乱、生物钟基因表达改变,与许多疾病包括心血管疾病和消化疾病的发生发展相关,甚至是癌症发生的重要促进因素。对昼夜节律的研究为疾病的预防和治疗提供了新思路。     

心脏特异表达绿色荧光斑马鱼模型的建立与评估

本课题组前期研究中, 利用斑马鱼cmlc2 (Cardiac myosin light chain 2)基因启动子构建了一个用于斑马鱼心脏组织特异表达外源基因的转基因表达载体pTol2-cmlc2-IRES-EGFP。文章利用该载体构建了一个稳定表达EGFP的转基因斑马鱼品系, 并初步分析了EGFP的表达对该转基因斑马鱼品系的心脏发育和功能的影响。结果表明, 在建立的转基因斑马鱼品系早期胚胎发育过程中, 绿色荧光信号在心脏中特异表达, 该表达模式与原位杂交分析的cmlc2的表达模式结果相同; 该转基因斑马鱼品系的心脏形态及发育生长正常; 进一步通过M-Mode分析心脏生理学功能的结果表明：该转基因品系心动周期、心率、收缩与舒张表面积及表面积缩短率等重要生理指标与正常野生型的斑马鱼对照组相比没有显著差别。以上结果表明该转基因品系中绿色荧光蛋白的表达对斑马鱼心脏的发育和功能没有影响。研究结果为进一步利用该载体建立外源目的基因转基因表达模型, 研究心脏表达基因的功能奠定了重要基础。     

磁生物学在模式动物斑马鱼中的研究进展

磁场在生活中无处不在,为探究磁场的生物学效应,大量研究工作已经开展。斑马鱼作为新兴的模式生物,在探明磁场与生理功能关系方面具有重要作用。本文梳理了当前磁生物学在斑马鱼上的相关研究。已有研究表明磁场会导致斑马鱼生长畸形、发育延迟和细胞凋亡,影响斑马鱼的游泳行为和方向偏好,也会改变其昼夜节律,还会对生殖和免疫功能产生影响;斑马鱼可能具有不止一种的磁感应机制,除了目前已提出的磁矿石晶体模型、自由基对模型和电磁感应模型等磁感应模型外,磁场引起的DNA损伤、Ca²⁺稳态异常、微管聚合速率改变、应激反应、生物钟基因cry的表达改变等可部分解释上述现象。针对存在的生物磁感应研究中存在的参数不一和机制不清晰等问题,结合斑马鱼优势,本文提出未来斑马鱼在磁生物学研究中的潜在方向：基于斑马鱼建立磁场和生物参数可控的磁生物学研究模型;非侵入性活体追踪相关生命活动过程,可视化研究磁生物学现象;基于Cry蛋白开展磁场与生物节律关系的研究。     

斑马鱼血液肿瘤学的研究进展

斑马鱼已经成为当今人类遗传学和血液学研究的重要模式生物之一。文章介绍了斑马鱼造血系统的基本生物学特征, 并重点阐述了斑马鱼在血液肿瘤学领域的应用和研究概况, 显示了斑马鱼在血液肿瘤学的基础和临床研究方面均有着独特的应用前景, 文章对此进行了展望。     

Circadian rhythms in zebrafish (Danio rerio) behaviour and the sources of their variability

Over recent decades, changes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) behaviour have become popular quantitative indicators in biomedical studies. The circadian rhythms of behavioural processes in zebrafish are known to enable effective utilization of energy and resources, therefore attracting interest in zebrafish as a research model. This review covers a variety of circadian behaviours in this species, including diurnal rhythms of spawning, feeding, locomotor activity, shoaling, light/dark preference, and vertical position preference. Changes in circadian activity during zebrafish ontogeny are reviewed, including ageing-related alterations and chemically induced variations in rhythmicity patterns. Both exogenous and endogenous sources of inter-individual variability in zebrafish circadian behaviour are detailed. Additionally, we focus on different environmental factors with the potential to entrain circadian processes in zebrafish. This review describes two principal ways whereby diurnal behavioural rhythms can be entrained: (i) modulation of organismal physiological state, which can have masking or enhancing effects on behavioural endpoints related to endogenous circadian rhythms, and (ii) modulation of period and amplitude of the endogenous circadian rhythm due to competitive relationships between the primary and secondary zeitgebers. In addition, different peripheral oscillators in zebrafish can be entrained by diverse zeitgebers. This complicated orchestra of divergent influences may cause variability in zebrafish circadian behaviours, which should be given attention when planning behavioural studies.     

It's time to swim! Zebrafish and the circadian clock

The zebrafish represents a fascinating model for studying key aspects of the vertebrate circadian timing system. Easy access to early embryonic development has made this species ideal for investigating how the clock is first established during embryogenesis. In particular, the molecular basis for the functional development of the zebrafish pineal gland has received much attention. In addition to this dedicated clock and photoreceptor organ, and unlike the situation in mammals, the clocks in zebrafish peripheral tissues and even cell lines are entrainable by direct exposure to light thus providing unique insight into the function and evolution of the light input pathway. Finally, the small size, low maintenance costs and high fecundity of this fish together with the availability of genetic tools make this an attractive model for forward genetic analysis of the circadian clock. Here, we review the work that has established the zebrafish as a valuable clock model organism and highlight the key questions that will shape the future direction of research.     

Light Reaches the Very Heart of the Zebrafish Clock

Zebrafish are typically used as a model system to study various aspects of developmental biology, largely as a consequence of their ex vivo development, high degree of transparency, and, of course, ability to perform forward genetic mutant screens. More recently, zebrafish have been developed as a model system with which to study circadian clocks. Cell lines generated from early‐stage zebrafish embryos contain clocks that are directly light‐responsive. We describe recent experiments using single‐cell luminescent imaging approaches to study clock function in this novel cell line system. Furthermore, studies examining the process of entrainment to light pulses within this cell population are described in this review, as are experiments examining light‐responsiveness of early‐stage zebrafish embryos.     

Clock controls angiogenesis

Circadian rhythms control multiple physiological and pathological processes, including embryonic development in mammals and development of various human diseases. We have recently, in a developing zebrafish embryonic model, discovered that the circadian oscillation controls developmental angiogenesis. Disruption of crucial circadian regulatory genes, including Bmal1 and Period2, results in marked impairment or enhancement of vascular development in zebrafish. At the molecular level, we show that the circadian regulator Bmal1 directly targets the promoter region of the vegf gene in zebrafish, leading to an elevated expression of VEGF. These findings can reasonably be extended to developmental angiogenesis in mammals and even pathological angiogenesis in humans. Thus, our findings, for the first time, shed new light on mechanisms that underlie circadian clock-regulated angiogenesis.     

Light Reaches the Very Heart of the Zebrafish Clock

Zebrafish are typically used as a model system to study various aspects of developmental biology, largely as a consequence of their ex vivo development, high degree of transparency, and, of course, ability to perform forward genetic mutant screens. More recently, zebrafish have been developed as a model system with which to study circadian clocks. Cell lines generated from early-stage zebrafish embryos contain clocks that are directly light-responsive. We describe recent experiments using single-cell luminescent imaging approaches to study clock function in this novel cell line system. Furthermore, studies examining the process of entrainment to light pulses within this cell population are described in this review, as are experiments examining light-responsiveness of early-stage zebrafish embryos.     

Light reaches the very heart of the zebrafish clock

Zebrafish are typically used as a model system to study various aspects of developmental biology, largely as a consequence of their ex vivo development, high degree of transparency, and, of course, ability to perform forward genetic mutant screens. More recently, zebrafish have been developed as a model system with which to study circadian clocks. Cell lines generated from early-stage zebrafish embryos contain clocks that are directly light-responsive. We describe recent experiments using single-cell luminescent imaging approaches to study clock function in this novel cell line system. Furthermore, studies examining the process of entrainment to light pulses within this cell population are described in this review, as are experiments examining light-responsiveness of early-stage zebrafish embryos.     

Diurnal regulation of plant growth

Life occurs in an ever-changing environment. Some of the most striking and predictable changes are the daily rhythms of light and temperature. To cope with these rhythmic changes, plants use an endogenous circadian clock to adjust their growth and physiology to anticipate daily environmental changes. Most studies of circadian functions in plants have been performed under continuous conditions. However, in the natural environment, diurnal outputs result from complex interactions of endogenous circadian rhythms and external cues. Accumulated studies using the hypocotyl as a model for plant growth have shown that both light signalling and circadian clock mutants have growth defects, suggesting strong interactions between hypocotyl elongation, light signalling and the circadian clock. Here, we review evidence suggesting that light, plant hormones and the circadian clock all interact to control diurnal patterns of plant growth.