High impact information on Clock

• We review recent studies showing that manipulations of key proteins (e.g. CREB, dynorphin, BDNF, MCH, or Clock) within the VTA-NAc circuit of rodents produce unique behavioral phenotypes, some of which are directly relevant to depression [1].
• Circadian rhythms of Clock are found under the regimes of constant darkness (DD) and 12-h light-12-h dark (LD12:12h), with the peak phase at CT7 and ZT21, respectively [2].
• Experiment of the RNA interference revealed that these ESTs were down-regulated by the Clock gene and three of them were identified as clock-controlled genes [2].
• Ten differential cDNA fragments were identified to be mediated by the Clock, including three known genes (catalase, myelin proteolipid protein, and histone acetylase), four known expressed sequence tags (ESTs), and three novel ESTs [2].
• In this paper, the circadian pattern of Clock and genes mediated by the Clock was investigated in peripheral lymphocytes of rats [2].

Biological context of Clock

• Phase-dependent induction by light of rat Clock gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus [3].
• These results suggest that Clock transcription in the SCN is involved in the photic signal transduction of circadian clock in rats [3].
• Total RNA was extracted from each sample, and the semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine temporal changes in mRNA levels of Clock and NAT genes during different circadian or zeitgeber times [4].

Anatomical context of Clock

• Daily variation and light responsiveness of mammalian clock gene, Clock and BMAL1, transcripts in the pineal body and different areas of brain in rats [5].
• The Clock expression in the cerebellum was significantly increased at ZT6 than at ZT18, while no difference was detected in the olfactory bulb and hippocampus at these two phases [5].
• The rhythmic expression of clock and clock-controlled genes in the rat oviduct was investigated by real time RT-PCR. per1, per2, Clock, Bmal1, cry1 and cry2 were all expressed in the oviduct [6].

Other interactions of Clock

• Expression patterns of mammalian clock genes, Clock and BMAL1, were examined by in situ hybridization in the pineal body, olfactory bulb, hippocampus and cerebellum in rats under constant darkness [5].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Clock

• To clarify the role of Clock in the photic signal transduction of rat circadian clock, we cloned and sequenced rat Clock and examined the effect of a single light pulse on the Clock mRNA expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) by in situ hybridization [3].

References