Summary
This DNA microarray study of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes identifies thousands of rhythmically expressed genes regulated by both circadian clocks and light/dark cycles, covering processes from metabolism to immunity. While focused on insect vector biology, the findings underscore the broad physiological importance of light-dark cycle entrainment on circadian-driven gene expression, with implications for understanding photic regulation of biological rhythms.
Key Findings
- 1,293 rhythmic genes identified in heads and 600 in bodies under light/dark conditions, representing 9.7% and 4.5% of the An. gambiae gene set respectively
- Under constant dark (DD) conditions, rhythmic transcriptome programming depended on interaction between the endogenous clock and extrinsic light/dark regulation
- A majority of rhythmic genes had peak expression clustered around day/night transitions, anticipating dawn and dusk
- Rhythmic genes covered diverse biological processes including metabolism, detoxification, olfaction, vision, cuticle regulation, and immunity
Categories
Sleep & Circadian Health: Study examines circadian clock regulation of gene expression under light/dark and constant dark conditions, relevant to understanding entrainment mechanisms.
The Science of Light: Demonstrates interaction between endogenous circadian clock and extrinsic light/dark cycle regulation of transcriptome rhythmicity.
Author(s)
KM Amatobi
Publication Year
2022
Related Publications
Sleep & Circadian Health
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- The two‐process model of sleep regulation: a reappraisal
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice
- Strange vision: ganglion cells as circadian photoreceptors
The Science of Light
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
- Color appearance models
- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- Diminished pupillary light reflex at high irradiances in melanopsin-knockout mice
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice