TY - JOUR T1 - Role of Circadian Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Chick Pineal Clock Oscillation JF - The Journal of Neuroscience JO - J. Neurosci. SP - 986 LP - 991 DO - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.20-03-00986.2000 VL - 20 IS - 3 AU - Kamon Sanada AU - Yuichiro Hayashi AU - Yuko Harada AU - Toshiyuki Okano AU - Yoshitaka Fukada Y1 - 2000/02/01 UR - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/20/3/986.abstract N2 - A circadian pacemaker generates a rhythm with a period of ∼24 hr even in the absence of environmental time cues. Several photosensitive neuronal tissues such as the retina and pineal gland contain the autonomous circadian pacemaker together with the photic-input pathway responsible for entrainment of the pacemaker to the daily light/dark cycle. We show here that, in constant darkness, chick pineal mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) exhibited an in vivo circadian rhythm in tyrosine phosphorylation and in enzymatic activity with a peak during subjective night. Phosphorylated and hence activated MAPK was rapidly dephosphorylated after light illumination during the nighttime when light induces a phase-shift of the pacemaker. The circadian rhythmicity in MAPK phosphorylation was also observed in the cultured pineal gland, and importantly, MAPK kinase inhibitor treatment during subjective night not only shifted the time-of-peak of MAPK phosphorylation but also induced a remarkable phase-delay of the circadian pacemaker. These results indicate an important role of MAPK for time keeping in circadian clock systems. ER -