The research group of Professor Kenichi Honma of Hokkaido University, Professor Sato Honma of the Center for Brain Science Research and Education, and Professor Shinya Nishide of Hokkaido University of Medicine will simultaneously measure the expression of two clock genes that make up the molecular clock of mice. Using technology, we have demonstrated for the first time in the world that these molecular clocks are independent clocks with different properties.
The research group took out the biological clock (central clock) present in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of mice, gave a stimulus that mimics day-night changes in a culture environment, and observed the synchronization of the biological clock.The 24-hour oscillation of the biological clock is thought to be caused by the interaction of four clock genes.For example, the time gene that controls the biological clock has a core loop centered on the Per4 gene and the Bmal2 gene, but the relationship between the two has been unknown so far.
Therefore, these two clock genes were measured in real time at the same time using the same suprachiasmatic nucleus specimen, and the reactivity to external stimuli was investigated.The results showed that in early-natal cells, the Bmal2 clock travels faster than the Per1 clock, even though it was measured in the same tissue.There was no difference in speed between the two time of adult mice.From this, it was found that there are two or more molecular clocks in the cell, and it is possible to explain various time phenomena known so far by the interaction of multiple clocks.
With the progress of this research, it is expected to elucidate how the biological clock develops after birth.
Paper information:[Scientific Reports] Two coupled circadian oscillations regulate Bmal1-ELuc and Per2-SLR2 expression in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus
