Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Rapid Analysis of Circadian Phenotypes in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Transfected with a Luminescent Clock Reporter
Published on: September 17, 2016
AtHESPERIN: a novel regulator of circadian rhythms with poly(A)-degrading activity in plants
Costas Delis1, Afrodite Krokida1, Anastasia Tomatsidou1
1a Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology , University of Thessaly , Larissa , 412 21 , Greece.
Abstract:
We report the identification and characterization of a novel gene, AtHesperin (AtHESP) that codes for a deadenylase in Arabidopsis thaliana. The gene is under circadian clock-gene regulation and has similarity to the mammalian Nocturnin. AtHESP can efficiently degrade poly(A) substrates exhibiting allosteric kinetics. Size exclusion chromatography and native electrophoresis coupled with kinetic analysis support that the native enzyme is oligomeric with at least 3 binding sites. Knockdown and overexpression of AtHESP in plant lines affects the expression and rhythmicity of the clock core oscillator genes TOC1 and CCA1. This study demonstrates an evolutionary conserved poly(A)-degrading activity in plants and suggests deadenylation as a mechanism involved in the regulation of the circadian clock. A role of AtHESP in stress response in plants is also depicted.
Related Concept Videos
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses
Riboswitches
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...
Cell Signaling in Plants
mRNA Stability and Gene Expression
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability

