Light, immediate-early genes, and circadian rhythms

Author(s): Mayo, K. E., Takahashi, J. S.

Journal/Book: Behav Genet. 1996; 26: 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013. Plenum Publ Corp. 221-240.

Abstract: Many diverse behaviors exhibit clear circadian rhythms in their expression. In mammals, these rhythms originate from a neural circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Recently, signaling pathways activated by light in the SCN have begun to be identified. A specific set of immediate-early genes is induced by light in the SCN, and their expression is correlated with the resetting of circadian behavioral rhythms. These light-regulated immediate-early genes offer multiple inroads into the biology of the SCN: first, they are functional markers for the activation of SCN neurons by light, second, they can direct us to the upstream light-activated (and clock-regulated) signal transduction pathways which mediate their induction; and finally, they encode transcription factor proteins which may play a role in the molecular mechanism of resetting the circadian clock.

Note: Review JS Takahashi, Northwestern Univ, Dept Neurobiol & Physiol, 2153 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL 60208 USA

Keyword(s): suprachiasmatic nucleus; circadian rhythms; Fos; immediate-early gene; cyclic AMP-response element; CREB; RAT SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS; NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR; FOS MESSENGER-RNA; VASOACTIVE-INTESTINAL-PEPTIDE; GASTRIN-RELEASING PEPTIDE; TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR AP-1; PROTO-ONCOGENE FOS; C-FOS; JUN-B; PHOTIC REGULATION

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