Systematic identification of rhythmic genes reveals camk1gb as a new element in the circadian clockwork

PLoS Genet. 2012;8(12):e1003116. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003116. Epub 2012 Dec 20.

Abstract

A wide variety of biochemical, physiological, and molecular processes are known to have daily rhythms driven by an endogenous circadian clock. While extensive research has greatly improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that constitute the circadian clock, the links between this clock and dependent processes have remained elusive. To address this gap in our knowledge, we have used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and DNA microarrays to systematically identify clock-controlled genes in the zebrafish pineal gland. In addition to a comprehensive view of the expression pattern of known clock components within this master clock tissue, this approach has revealed novel potential elements of the circadian timing system. We have implicated one rhythmically expressed gene, camk1gb, in connecting the clock with downstream physiology of the pineal gland. Remarkably, knockdown of camk1gb disrupts locomotor activity in the whole larva, even though it is predominantly expressed within the pineal gland. Therefore, it appears that camk1gb plays a role in linking the pineal master clock with the periphery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Circadian Clocks* / genetics
  • Circadian Clocks* / physiology
  • Circadian Rhythm / genetics*
  • Circadian Rhythm / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Larva / genetics
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Pineal Gland* / growth & development
  • Pineal Gland* / metabolism
  • Pineal Gland* / physiology
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Zebrafish / genetics
  • Zebrafish / growth & development
  • Zebrafish Proteins* / genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins* / metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins* / physiology

Substances

  • Zebrafish Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a grant from the United States–Israel Binational Science Foundation (grant number 2009/290), Jerusalem, Israel. SA was supported by a scholarship from the Clore Israel Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.