Genomic studies suggest an association of circadian clock genes with bipolar disorder (BD) and lithium response in humans. Therefore, we tested mice mutant in various clock genes before and after lithium treatment in the forced swim test (FST), a rodent behavioral test used for evaluation of depressive-like states. We find that expression of circadian clock components, including Per2, Cry1 and ...

Exposure of plants to light intensities that exceed the electron utilization capacity of the chloroplast has a dramatic impact on nuclear gene expression. The photoreceptor Cryptochrome 1 (cry1) is essential to the induction of genes encoding photoprotective components in Arabidopsis thaliana. Bioinformatic analysis of the cry1 regulon revealed the putative cis-element CryR1 (GnTCKAG), and here...

BACKGROUND An interlocked transcriptional-translational feedback loop (TTFL) is thought to generate the mammalian circadian clockwork in both the central pacemaker residing in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei and in peripheral tissues. The core circadian genes, including Period1 and Period2 (Per1 and Per2), Cryptochrome1 and Cryptochrome2 (Cry1 and Cry2), Bmal1, and Clock are indispensab...

The pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary gland expresses a high density of melatonin (MEL) receptors and is believed to regulate seasonal physiology by decoding changes in nocturnal melatonin secretion. Circadian clock genes are known to be expressed in the PT in response to the decline (Per1) and onset (Cry1) of MEL secretion, but to date little is known of other molecular changes in this key ...

The main feedback loop driving circadian rhythm in mice is controlled, in part, by the genes encoding the cryptochromes Cry1 and Cry2. Targeted mutation of both Cry1 and Cry2 delay the early onset of tumor formation in p53-null mutant mice. Furthermore, Ras-transformed p53- and Cry-null mouse skin fibroblasts are more sensitive than p53 mutants to apoptotic cell death initiated by agents that a...

The albumin D site-binding protein (DBP) governs circadian transcription of a number of hepatic detoxification and metabolic enzymes prior to the activity phase and subsequent food intake of mice. However, the behavior of mice is drastically affected by the photoperiod. Therefore, continuous adjustment of the phase of circadian Dbp expression is required in the liver. Here we describe a direct ...

Single, double, and triple null combinations of Arabidopsis mutants lacking the photoreceptors phytochrome (phy) A (phyA-201), phyB (phyB-5), and cryptochrome (cry) 1 (hy4-2.23n) were examined for de-etiolation responses in high-fluence red, far-red, blue, and broad-spectrum white light. Cotyledon unhooking, unfolding, and expansion, hypocotyl growth, and the accumulation of chlorophylls and an...

Cryptochromes are widespread blue-light absorbing flavoproteins with important signaling roles. In plants they mediate de-etiolation, developmental and stress responses resulting from interaction with downstream signaling partners such as transcription factors and components of the proteasome. Recently, it has been shown that Arabidopsis cry1 activation by blue light also results in direct enzy...

Bipolar disorder is associated with malfunctions of the circadian system, which regulates individual circadian rhythms and which enables the adaptation to a daily 24-h cycle and seasonal change. One of the human circadian clock genes, cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) (located on 12q23-q24.1) was analyzed because of its close correspondence to a linkage hotspot for bipolar disorder. We found no evidence fo...

The criptochrome genes (Cry1 and Cry2) are involved in the molecular mechanism that controls the circadian clock, and mice lacking these genes (Cry1(-/-)/Cry2(-/-)) are behaviorally arrhythmic. It has been speculated that the circadian clock modulates the characteristics of thermoregulation, resulting in body temperature (T(b)) rhythm. However, there is no direct evidence proving this speculati...