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Related Experiment Videos

Chicktacking pineal clock.

Toshiyuki Okano1, Yoshitaka Fukada

  • 1Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033.

Journal of Biochemistry
|February 11, 2004
PubMed
Summary
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The chick pineal gland uses pinopsin and G11 proteins to sense light, regulating its internal clock. This system shares similarities with mammals but has unique light-sensing mechanisms involving E-boxes.

Area of Science:

  • Chronobiology
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Non-mammalian vertebrates possess photoreceptors and circadian clock systems in various tissues.
  • The chick pineal gland is a well-studied photosensitive circadian oscillator.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To detail the cellular and molecular mechanisms of clock oscillation and entrainment in the chick pineal gland.
  • To elucidate the photic-input pathway and its role in circadian rhythm regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the pineal photic-input pathway.
  • Investigation of G-protein signaling (Gq-type, G11).
  • Identification of photoreceptive molecules (pinopsin) and clock gene elements (E-box).

Main Results:

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  • A phase-shifting mechanism mediated by G11 activation was identified.
  • Pinopsin acts as a photoreceptor, transmitting light signals to the circadian oscillator.
  • The chick pineal oscillator features a transcription/translation-based feedback loop homologous to mammals, with E4BP4 and ERK involved in photic entrainment.
  • A novel role for the E-box in the Pinopsin gene promoter was discovered, serving as a convergence point for light and circadian signals.

Conclusions:

  • The chick pineal circadian system exhibits both general and unique features compared to other animal clocks.
  • The interplay between pinopsin, G11, E-boxes, and clock genes provides a comprehensive model for photic entrainment.