Analysis of the redox oscillations in the circadian clockwork

The evolution of tight coupling between the circadian system and redox homeostasis of the cell has been proposed to coincide roughly with the appearance of the first aerobic organisms, around 3 billion years ago. The rhythmic production of oxygen and its effect on core metabolism are thought to have exerted selective pressure for the temporal segregation of numerous metabolic pathways. Until recently, the only evidence for such coupling came from studies showing circadian cycles in the abundance of various redox metabolites, with many arguing that these oscillations are simply an output from the transcription-translation feedback loop. The recent discovery that the peroxiredoxin (PRX) proteins exhibit circadian cycles in their oxidation status, even in the absence of transcription, demonstrated the existence of autonomous oscillations in the redox status of the cell. The PRXs are a family of cellular thiol peroxidases, whose abundance and high reaction rate make them the major cellular sink for cellular peroxides. Interestingly, as part of the normal catalytic cycle, PRXs become inactivated by their own substrate via overoxidation of the catalytic residue, with the inactivated form of the enzyme displaying circadian accumulation. Here, we describe the biochemical properties of the PRX system, with particular emphasis on the features important for the experimental analysis of these enzymes. We will also present a detailed protocol for measuring PRX overoxidation across circadian time in adherent cell cultures, red blood cells, and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), providing practical suggestions for ensuring consistency and reproducibility of the results.