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Updated: May 29, 2026

Monitoring Cell-autonomous Circadian Clock Rhythms of Gene Expression Using Luciferase Bioluminescence Reporters
Published on: September 27, 2012
Animal clocks: a multitude of molecular mechanisms for circadian timekeeping
1Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Abstract:
Studies in various model organisms reveal that the expression level of a substantial part of the transcriptome and the proteome exhibits regular daily oscillations. These oscillations are translated to physiological and behavioral rhythms allowing organisms to efficiently anticipate and respond to the daily and seasonally changing environment (e.g., temperature and light). A rather small subset of evolutionary conserved genes drives these oscillations and constitutes the core molecular circadian clock. Here, we review the multiple mechanisms that coexist at various molecular and cellular levels and are involved in the metazoan circadian clock, including transcription/translation negative feedback loops, post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications, intracellular translocation, and intercellular signaling.
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