Universal DNA methylation age across mammalian tissues

Aging, often considered a result of random cellular damage, can be accurately estimated using DNA methylation profiles, the foundation of pan-tissue epigenetic clocks. Here, we demonstrate the development of universal pan-mammalian clocks, using 11,754 methylation arrays from our Mammalian Methylation Consortium, which encompass 59 tissue types across 185 mammalian species. These predictive models estimate mammalian tissue age with high accuracy (r > 0.96). Age deviations correlate with human mortality risk, mouse somatotropic axis mutations and caloric restriction. We identified specific cytosines with methylation levels that change with age across numerous species. These sites, highly enriched in polycomb repressive complex 2-binding locations, are near genes implicated in mammalian development, cancer, obesity and longevity. Our findings offer new evidence suggesting that aging is evolutionarily conserved and intertwined with developmental processes across all mammals.

Alterations in the circadian system in advanced age

In addition to light, a variety of non-photic stimuli can induce phase shifts in the circadian clock of rodents. We have examined the effects of advanced age on the response of the circadian clock to both photic and non-photic stimuli in old hamsters (i.e., over 16 months of age). Among the age-related changes in the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity are: (1) alterations in the phase angle of entrainment to the light-dark cycle; (2) an altered response to the phase-shifting effects of light pulses; (3) changes in the time it takes to re-entrain to a new light-dark cycle; and (4) a loss of responsiveness to the phase-shifting or entraining effects of stimuli which induce an acute increase of activity. Many of the effects of ageing on the circadian clock system can be simulated in young animals by depleting brain monoamine levels, suggesting that ageing alters monoaminergic inputs to the clock. Some of the age-related changes in the response of the clock to an activity-inducing stimulus can be reversed by implanting old animals with fetal suprachiasmatic nuclear tissue. Determining the physiological basis of age-related changes in the responsiveness of the clock to both internal and external stimuli, and the mechanisms by which normal circadian functioning can be restored, should lead to new insight into the functioning of the circadian clock and may suggest new approaches to the normalization of disturbed circadian rhythms.

Depressive-like behavior and stress reactivity are independent traits in a Wistar Kyoto x Fisher 344 cross

Depression is a heritable disorder that is often precipitated by stress. Abnormalities of the stress-reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are also common in depressed patients. In animal models, the forced swim test (FST) is the most frequently used test of depressive-like behavior. We have used a proposed animal model of depression, the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat, to investigate the relationship as well as the mode of inheritance of FST behaviors and HPA measures. Through reciprocal breeding of WKY and F344 parent strains and brother-sister breeding of the F1 generation, we obtained 486 F2 animals. Parent, F1 and F2 animals were tested in the FST. Blood samples were collected for determination of basal and stress (10-min restraint) plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels, and adrenal weights were measured. We found that all measures were heritable to some extent and that this heritability was highly sex dependent. Both correlation and factor analyses of the F2 generation data demonstrate that FST behavior and HPA axis measures are not directly related. Thus, the underlying genetic components of depressive-like behavior and HPA axis abnormalities are likely to be disparate in the segregating F2 generation of a WKY x F344 cross.

Stopping time: the genetics of fly and mouse circadian clocks

Forward genetic analyses in flies and mice have uncovered conserved transcriptional feedback loops at the heart of circadian pacemakers. Conserved mechanisms of posttranslational regulation, most notably phosphorylation, appear to be important for timing feedback. Transcript analyses have indicated that circadian clocks are not restricted to neurons but are found in several tissues. Comparisons between flies and mice highlight important differences in molecular circuitry and circadian organization. Future studies of pacemaker mechanisms and their control of physiology and behavior will likely continue to rely on forward genetics.

Familial advanced sleep phase syndrome

BACKGROUND

The circadian rhythms of sleep propensity and melatonin secretion are regulated by a central circadian clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. The most common types of sleep disorders attributed to an alteration of the circadian clock system are the sleep/wake cycle phase disorders, such as delayed sleep phase syndrome and advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS). Advanced sleep phase syndrome is characterized by the complaint of persistent early evening sleep onset and early morning awakening. Although the complaint of awakening earlier than desired is relatively common, particularly in older adults, extreme advance of sleep phase is rare.

OBJECTIVE

To phenotypically characterize a familial case of ASPS.

METHODS

We identified a large family with ASPS; 32 members of this family gave informed consent to participate in this study. Measures of sleep onset and offset, dim light melatonin onset, the Horne-Ostberg morningness-eveningness questionnaire, and clinical interviews were used to characterize family members as affected or unaffected with ASPS.

RESULTS

Affected members rated themselves as "morning types" and had a significant advance in the phase of sleep onset (P<.001) and offset (P =.006) times. The mean sleep onset was 2121 hours for the affected family members and 0025 hours for the unaffected family members. The mean sleep offset was 0507 hours for the affected members and 0828 hours for the unaffected members. (Times are given in military form.) In addition, the phase of the circadian rhythm of melatonin onset for the affected family members was on average 3-1/2 hours earlier than for the unaffected members.

CONCLUSIONS

The ASPS trait segregates with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. The occurrence of familial ASPS indicates that human circadian rhythms, similar to those in animals, are under genetic regulation. Genetic analysis of familial sleep and circadian rhythm disorders is important for identifying a specific gene(s) responsible for the regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms in humans.

Genome-wide epistatic interaction analysis reveals complex genetic determinants of circadian behavior in mice

Genetic heterogeneity underlies many phenotypic variations observed in circadian rhythmicity. Continuous distributions in measures of circadian behavior observed among multiple inbred strains of mice suggest that the inherent contributions to variability are polygenic in nature. To identify genetic loci that underlie this complex behavior, we have carried out a genome-wide complex trait analysis in 196 (C57BL/6J X BALB/cJ)F(2) hybrid mice. We have characterized variation in this panel of F(2) mice among five circadian phenotypes: free-running circadian period, phase angle of entrainment, amplitude of the circadian rhythm, circadian activity level, and dissociation of rhythmicity. Our genetic analyses of these phenotypes have led to the identification of 14 loci having significant effects on this behavior, including significant main effect loci that contribute to three of these phenotypic measures: period, phase, and amplitude. We describe an additional locus detection method, genome-wide genetic interaction analysis, developed to identify locus pairs that may interact epistatically to significantly affect phenotype. Using this analysis, we identified two additional pairs of loci that have significant effects on dissociation and activity level; we also detected interaction effects in loci contributing to differences of period, phase, and amplitude. Although single gene mutations can affect circadian rhythms, the analysis of interstrain variants demonstrates that significant genetic complexity underlies this behavior. Importantly, most of the loci that we have detected by these methods map to locations that differ from the nine known clock genes, indicating the presence of additional clock-relevant genes in the mammalian circadian system. These data demonstrate the analytical value of both genome-wide complex trait and epistatic interaction analyses in further understanding complex phenotypes, and point to promising approaches for genetic analysis of such phenotypes in other mammals, including humans.

Genetics of the mammalian circadian system: Photic entrainment, circadian pacemaker mechanisms, and posttranslational regulation

During the past four years, significant progress has been made in identifying the molecular components of the mammalian circadian clock system. An autoregulatory transcriptional feedback loop similar to that described in Drosophila appears to form the core circadian rhythm generating mechanism in mammals. Two basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) PAS (PER-ARNT-SIM) transcription factors, CLOCK and BMAL1, form the positive elements of the system and drive transcription of three Period and two Cryptochrome genes. The protein products of these genes are components of a negative feedback complex that inhibits CLOCK and BMAL1 to close the circadian loop. In this review, we focus on three aspects of the circadian story in mammals: the genetics of the photic entrainment pathway; the molecular components of the circadian pacemaker in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus; and the role of posttranslational regulation of circadian elements. A molecular description of the mammalian circadian system has revealed that circadian oscillations may be a fundamental property of many cells in the body and that a circadian hierarchy underlies the temporal organization of animals.

Overview of circadian rhythms

The daily light-dark cycle governs rhythmic changes in the behavior and/or physiology of most species. Studies have found that these changes are governed by a biological clock, which in mammals is located in two brain areas called the suprachiasmatic nuclei. The circadian cycles established by this clock occur throughout nature and have a period of approximately 24 hours. In addition, these circadian cycles can be synchronized to external time signals but also can persist in the absence of such signals. Studies have found that the internal clock consists of an array of genes and the protein products they encode, which regulate various physiological processes throughout the body. Disruptions of the biological rhythms can impair the health and well-being of the organism.

The mouse Clock locus: sequence and comparative analysis of 204 kb from mouse chromosome 5

The Clock gene encodes a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-PAS transcription factor that regulates circadian rhythms in mice. We previously cloned Clock in mouse and human using a battery of behavioral and molecular techniques, including shotgun sequencing of two bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones. Here we report the finished sequence of a 204-kb region from mouse chromosome 5. This region contains the complete loci for the Clock and Tpardl (pFT27) genes, as well as the 3' partial locus of the Neuromedin U gene; sequence analysis also suggests the presence of two previously unidentified genes. In addition, we provide a comparative genomic sequence analysis with the syntenic region from human chromosome 4. Finally, a new BAC transgenic line indicates that the genomic region that is sufficient for rescue of the Clock mutant phenotype is no greater than 120 kb and tightly flanks the 3' end of the Clock gene.

The circadian clock mutation alters sleep homeostasis in the mouse

The onset and duration of sleep are thought to be primarily under the control of a homeostatic mechanism affected by previous periods of wake and sleep and a circadian timing mechanism that partitions wake and sleep into different portions of the day and night. The mouse Clock mutation induces pronounced changes in overall circadian organization. We sought to determine whether this genetic disruption of circadian timing would affect sleep homeostasis. The Clock mutation affected a number of sleep parameters during entrainment to a 12 hr light/dark (LD 12:12) cycle, when animals were free-running in constant darkness (DD), and during recovery from 6 hr of sleep deprivation in LD 12:12. In particular, in LD 12:12, heterozygous and homozygous Clock mutants slept, respectively, approximately 1 and approximately 2 hr less than wild-type mice, and they had 25 and 51% smaller increases in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep during 24 hr recovery, respectively, than wild-type mice. The effects of the mutation on sleep are not readily attributable to differential entrainment to LD 12:12 because the baseline sleep differences between genotypes were also present when animals were free-running in DD. These results indicate that genetic alterations of the circadian clock system and/or its regulatory genes are likely to have widespread effects on a variety of sleep and wake parameters, including the homeostatic regulation of sleep.

Molecular genetics of circadian rhythms in mammals

Recent gene discovery approaches have led to a new era in our understanding of the molecular basis of circadian oscillators in animals. A conserved set of genes in Drosophila and mammals (Clock, Bmal1, Period, and Timeless) provide a molecular framework for the circadian mechanism. These genes define a transcription-translation-based negative autoregulatory feedback loop that comprises the core elements generating circadian rhythmicity. This circadian core provides a focal point for understanding how circadian rhythms arise, how environmental inputs entrain the oscillatory system, and how the circadian system regulates its outputs. The addition of molecular genetic approaches to the existing physiological understanding of the mammalian circadian system provides new opportunities for understanding this basic life process.

The basic helix-loop-helix-PAS protein MOP9 is a brain-specific heterodimeric partner of circadian and hypoxia factors

PAS (PER, ARNT, SIM) proteins play important roles in adaptation to low atmospheric and cellular oxygen levels, exposure to certain environmental pollutants, and diurnal oscillations in light and temperature. In an attempt to better understand how organisms sense environmental changes, we have characterized a novel member of the PAS superfamily, MOP9 (member of PAS superfamily), that maps to human chromosome 12p11.22-11.23. This protein displays significant homology to the Drosophila circadian factor CYCLE and its putative mammalian ortholog MOP3/bMAL1. Like its homologs, MOP9 forms a transcriptionally active heterodimer with the circadian CLOCK protein, the structurally related MOP4, and hypoxia-inducible factors, such as HIF1alpha. In a manner consistent with its role as a biologically relevant partner of these proteins, MOP9 is coexpressed in regions of the brain such as the thalamus, hypothalamus, and amygdala. Importantly, MOP9 is coexpressed with CLOCK in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the site of the master circadian oscillator in mammals.

Locomotor response to an open field during C57BL/6J active and inactive phases: differences dependent on conditions of illumination

Time of day has proven to be a source of variability in diverse behavioral measures. Knowledge of the pattern of this temporal effect as well as its origin (exogenous or endogenous) is essential for a precise description of any behavior. This study analyzed the effect of the external light-dark cycle and the internal rest-activity rhythm on the response of C57BL/6J mice to a novel environment. In a first experiment, animals maintained in a 12:12-h light-dark cycle were tested in an open field at six different times of day. A diurnal rhythm of ambulation in the open field was observed with greater levels of activity exhibited by those groups tested at night. Long-term and short-term behavioral habituation to spatial novelty were also affected by phase of the light-dark cycle. A second experiment was designed to control for any direct effect of the light-dark cycle by keeping the animals in dim green light where entrainment was maintained by a skeleton photoperiod (two 15-min bright-light pulses separated by 12 hours of green, dim light). This second group of animals was tested at two different circadian phases under the same conditions of illumination. One group was tested during the subjective night and another group during the subjective day, i.e., 2 or 14 h after the onset of the active phase, as assessed by wheel-running behavior. No effect of circadian phase on ambulation or habituation of this response to the open field was observed in these animals. Taken together, these results suggest that spatial novelty is equally arousing regardless of circadian phase and that the conditions of illumination can dramatically alter the response to a novel environment.

Nonphotic phase-shifting in clock mutant mice

Nonphotic phase-shifting was studied in mice bearing the Clock mutation. First, free-running mice heterozygous for Clock and wild-type mice were induced to become active through a 4-h confinement to a novel running over 3 days. Second, mice exposed to light-dark cycle received daily hypocaloric food during 2 weeks, before being transferred to constant darkness and fed ad libitum. Behavioral activation during the mid-subjective day induced 40-min phase advances in the locomotor activity rhythm of wild-type mice, whereas it produced 50-min phase delays in the circadian behavior of Clock/+ mice. Calorie restriction phase-advanced by 80 min the locomotor activity rhythm in wild-type mice, but not in Clock/+ mice. Therefore, the response of the Clock/+ mice to nonphotic phase shifting differs from that of wild-type mice.

The Xenopus clock gene is constitutively expressed in retinal photoreceptors

Many aspects of normal retinal physiology are controlled by a retinal circadian clock. In Xenopus laevis, the photoreceptor cells within the retina contain a circadian clock that controls melatonin release. In this report we present the cloning and characterization of the Xenopus homolog of the Clock gene, known to be critical for normal circadian behavioral rhythms in the mouse. The Xenopus Clock gene is expressed primarily in photoreceptors within the eye and is expressed at constant levels throughout the day. Analysis of other tissues revealed that, as in other species, the Xenopus Clock gene is widely expressed. This characterization of the Clock gene provides a useful tool for further exploration of the role of the circadian clock in normal retinal function.

Integration and saturation within the circadian photic entrainment pathway of hamsters

The sensitivity of the visual pathway that subserves circadian entrainment was measured in hamsters after prior stimulation and using trains of multiple pulses. Immediately after subsaturating stimulation in the late subjective night, there was a significant decrease in responsiveness that persisted for at least 1 h. The reduced responsiveness was not due to light adaptation (shifting of the stimulus-response curve) but rather to response saturation, which appeared to reduce the sensitivity to subsequent stimulation and limit the maximum response of the pacemaker. The system, therefore, integrates the total number of photons delivered in two light stimuli separated in time by up to 1 h. The responsiveness was also measured using stimulus trains containing 10-1,000 individual pulses of equal irradiance and equal total photons. Results suggest that this pathway is responsive to the total photons delivered in all of the stimuli and is not responsive to light onsets or offsets associated with individual stimuli. These data outline several fundamental characteristics of phase shifting for the circadian photic entrainment pathway in hamsters. Knowledge of these characteristics is important for designing and interpreting results of future studies to dissect the cellular and molecular nature of the mammalian circadian clock and for understanding how visual information affects the cellular clock during entrainment.

Differential regulation of mammalian period genes and circadian rhythmicity by cryptochromes 1 and 2

Cryptochromes regulate the circadian clock in animals and plants. Humans and mice have two cryptochrome (Cry) genes. A previous study showed that mice lacking the Cry2 gene had reduced sensitivity to acute light induction of the circadian gene mPer1 in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and had an intrinsic period 1 hr longer than normal. In this study, Cry1(-/-) and Cry1(-/-)Cry2(-/-) mice were generated and their circadian clocks were analyzed at behavioral and molecular levels. Behaviorally, the Cry1(-/-) mice had a circadian period 1 hr shorter than wild type and the Cry1(-/-)Cry2(-/-) mice were arrhythmic in constant darkness (DD). Biochemically, acute light induction of mPer1 mRNA in the SCN was blunted in Cry1(-/-) and abolished in Cry1(-/-)Cry2(-/-) mice. In contrast, the acute light induction of mPer2 in the SCN was intact in Cry1(-/-) and Cry1(-/-)Cry2(-/-) animals. Importantly, in double mutants, mPer1 expression was constitutively elevated and no rhythmicity was detected in either 12-hr light/12-hr dark or DD, whereas mPer2 expression appeared rhythmic in 12-hr light/12-hr dark, but nonrhythmic in DD with intermediate levels. These results demonstrate that Cry1 and Cry2 are required for the normal expression of circadian behavioral rhythms, as well as circadian rhythms of mPer1 and mPer2 in the SCN. The differential regulation of mPer1 and mPer2 by light in Cry double mutants reveals a surprising complexity in the role of cryptochromes in mammals.

Targeted deletion of the Vgf gene indicates that the encoded secretory peptide precursor plays a novel role in the regulation of energy balance

To determine the function of VGF, a secreted polypeptide that is synthesized by neurons, is abundant in the hypothalamus, and is regulated in the brain by electrical activity, injury, and the circadian clock, we generated knockout mice lacking Vgf. Homozygous mutants are small, hypermetabolic, hyperactive, and infertile, with markedly reduced leptin levels and fat stores and altered hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and agouti-related peptide (AGRP) expression. Furthermore, VGF mRNA synthesis is induced in the hypothalamic arcuate nuclei of fasted normal mice. VGF therefore plays a critical role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, suggesting that the study of lean VGF mutant mice may provide insight into wasting disorders and, moreover, that pharmacological antagonism of VGF action(s) might constitute the basis for treatment of obesity.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the human CLOCK gene: expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei

The Clock gene is an essential regulator of circadian rhythms. It encodes a member of the basic helix-loop-helix/PER-ARNT-SIM family of transcription factors known to play a central role in the control of diverse cellular events. Previously we described the functional identification and molecular isolation of the Clock gene in the mouse, its interaction with the BMAL1 protein, and the role of this complex as a transcriptional activator in the circadian pacemaker. Here, we report the cloning, exon organization, chromosomal location, and mRNA expression of the human CLOCK gene. The coding sequence of human CLOCK extends for 2538 bp and is 89% identical to its mouse ortholog; its deduced amino acid sequence is 846 residues long and is 96% identical to mouse CLOCK. Radiation hybrid mapping localized human CLOCK to the long arm of human chromosome 4 (4q12). Direct sequencing of a genomic CLOCK clone indicated that the coding sequence of human CLOCK extends over 20 exons and that its intron/exon organization is identical to that of the mouse ortholog. Northern blot analysis indicated widespread expression of two major transcripts of 8 and 10 kb, and in situ hybridization of human brain tissue revealed elevated expression of CLOCK mRNA in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, the locus of circadian control in mammals, and in the cerebellum. Comparison of cDNA clones revealed two single nucleotide polymorphisms in noncoding sequence flanking the CLOCK open reading frame. The central role of Clock in the organization of circadian rhythms suggests that it will be a useful candidate gene for genetic analyses of disorders associated with dysfunction of the circadian system.

Effects of aging on lens transmittance and retinal input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus in golden hamsters

Old animals are less sensitive by almost an order of magnitude to the phase-shifting effects of a low intensity light pulse on the locomotor activity rhythm and the associated induction of immediate early genes in the circadian clock. The transmittance of energy from 200 to 700 nm through the excised lens of the eyes of young and old golden hamsters was measured to determine if an age-related difference exists in the transmittance of light. There is only a small decrease (8-50%) in transmittance, with the magnitude being dependent upon wavelength. No significant differences were detected between young and old animals in the retinal innervation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). These results support the hypothesis that the observed decrease in sensitivity to light in the aged circadian system occurs within the SCN itself and/or retino-hypothalamic tract photoreceptors.

Day/night differences in the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by calcium/calmodulin in chick pineal cell cultures: evidence for circadian regulation of cyclic AMP

In chick pineal cell culture, stimulation of adenylate cyclase with the diterpene forskolin was greater during the subjective night than during the subjective day. This rhythm of cyclic AMP (cAMP) stimulation mimicked the rhythm of unstimulated cAMP measured previously during LD cycles from flow-through culture. Direct measurement of adenylate cyclase activity in permeabilized cells revealed an adenylate cyclase activity activated by Ca2+/calmodulin during the night but not during the day. However, this difference in adenylate cyclase activity at two times of the circadian cycle is apparent only when permeabilized cells were prewashed with buffer containing GTE When cAMP was measured from flow-through cultures maintained in continuous darkness to determine whether a circadian clock may regulate cAMP, a low-amplitude rhythm was measured. The circadian rhythm of cAMP was similar to the cAMP rhythm previously measured on LD cycles except that the rhythm in darkness had a lower amplitude. Similar to the suppression of melatonin, cAMP was suppressed by light presented during the middle of the night. LD differences in nocturnal cAMP levels were abolished with dipyridamole, an inhibitor of cyclic GMP (cGMP) phosphodiesterase. These results suggest that the rhythm of cAMP in chick pineal cells involves the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by Ca2+/calmodulin during the night and a GTP-dependent suppression of adenylate cyclase activity during the day. The photic suppression of cAMP at night involves the activation of a dipyridamole-sensitive, cGMP phosphodiesterase.

Clock controls circadian period in isolated suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the master circadian pacemaker in mammals, and one molecular regulator of circadian rhythms is the Clock gene. Here we studied the discharge patterns of SCN neurons isolated from Clock mutant mice. Long-term, multielectrode recordings showed that heterozygous Clock mutant neurons have lengthened periods and that homozygous Clock neurons are arrhythmic, paralleling the effects on locomotor activity in the animal. In addition, cells in dispersals expressed a wider range of periods and phase relationships than cells in explants. These results suggest that the Clock gene is required for circadian rhythmicity in individual SCN cells and that a mechanism within the SCN synchronizes neurons and restricts the range of expressed circadian periods.

Role of mouse cryptochrome blue-light photoreceptor in circadian photoresponses

Cryptochromes are photoactive pigments in the eye that have been proposed to function as circadian photopigments. Mice lacking the cryptochrome 2 blue-light photoreceptor gene (mCry2) were tested for circadian clock-related functions. The mutant mice had a lower sensitivity to acute light induction of mPer1 in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) but exhibited normal circadian oscillations of mPer1 and mCry1 messenger RNA in the SCN. Behaviorally, the mutants had an intrinsic circadian period about 1 hour longer than normal and exhibited high-amplitude phase shifts in response to light pulses administered at circadian time 17. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that CRY2 protein modulates circadian responses in mice and suggest that cryptochromes have a role in circadian photoreception in mammals.

Mammalian circadian autoregulatory loop: a timeless ortholog and mPer1 interact and negatively regulate CLOCK-BMAL1-induced transcription

We report the cloning and mapping of mouse (mTim) and human (hTIM) orthologs of the Drosophila timeless (dtim) gene. The mammalian Tim genes are widely expressed in a variety of tissues; however, unlike Drosophila, mTim mRNA levels do not oscillate in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) or retina. Importantly, hTIM interacts with the Drosophila PERIOD (dPER) protein as well as the mouse PER1 and PER2 proteins in vitro. In Drosophila (S2) cells, hTIM and dPER interact and translocate into the nucleus. Finally, hTIM and mPER1 specifically inhibit CLOCK-BMAL1-induced transactivation of the mPer1 promoter. Taken together, these results demonstrate that mTim and hTIM are mammalian orthologs of timeless and provide a framework for a basic circadian autoregulatory loop in mammals.

Light-dependent activation of rod transducin by pineal opsin

The pineal gland expresses a unique member of the opsin family (P-opsin; Max, M., McKinnon, P. J., Seidenman, K. J., Barrett, R. K., Applebury, M. L., Takahashi, J. S., and Margolskee, R. F. (1995) Science 267, 1502-1506) that may play a role in circadian entrainment and photo-regulation of melatonin synthesis. To study the function of this protein, an epitope-tagged P-opsin was stably expressed in an embryonic chicken pineal cell line. When incubated with 11-cis-retinal, a light-sensitive pigment was formed with a lambdamax at 462 +/- 2 nm. P-opsin bleached slowly in the dark (t1/2 = 2 h) in the presence of 50 mM hydroxylamine. Purified P-opsin in dodecyl maltoside activated rod transducin in a light-dependent manner, catalyzing the exchange of more than 300 mol of GTPgammaS (guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate))/mol of P-opsin. The initial rate for activation (75 mol of GTPgammaS bound/mol of P-opsin/min at 7 microM) increased with increasing concentrations of transducin. The addition of egg phosphatidylcholine to P-opsin had little effect on the activation kinetics; however, the intrinsic rate of decay in the absence of transducin was accelerated. These results demonstrate that P-opsin is an efficient catalyst for activation of rod transducin and suggest that the pineal gland may contain a rodlike phototransduction cascade.

Circadian rhythms: molecular basis of the clock

Much progress has been made during the past year in the molecular dissection of the circadian clock. Recently identified circadian genes in mouse, Drosophila, and cyanobacteria demonstrate the universal nature of negative feedback regulation as a circadian mechanism; furthermore, the mouse and Drosophila genes are structurally and functionally conserved. In addition, the discovery of brain-independent clocks promises to revolutionize the study of circadian biology.

A CLOCK polymorphism associated with human diurnal preference

A single nucleotide polymorphism located in the 3' flanking region of the human CLOCK gene was investigated as a predictor of diurnal preference in a population-based random sample of 410 normal adults. Morningness-eveningness preferences were determined using the 19-item Home-Ostberg questionnaire. Subjects carrying one of the two CLOCK alleles, 3111C, had a significantly lower mean Horne-Ostberg score. The distribution of scores was clearly shifted toward eveningness for these subjects. The score difference was independent of age, sex and ethnic heritage, thus making population stratification effects unlikely to explain this difference. These subjects had a substantial 10- to 44-minute delay in preferred timing for activity or sleep episodes. We suggest that the identified polymorphism or another tightly linked polymorphism within the CLOCK gene or its regulatory elements may be responsible for the finding.

Automated measurement of mouse freezing behavior and its use for quantitative trait locus analysis of contextual fear conditioning in (BALB/cJ x C57BL/6J)F2 mice

The most commonly measured mouse behavior in fear conditioning tests is freezing. A technical limitation, particularly for genetic studies, is the method of direct observation used for quantifying this response, with the potential for bias or inconsistencies. We report the use of a computerized method based on latency between photobeam interruption measures as a reliable scoring criterion in mice. The different computer measures obtained during contextual fear conditioning tests showed high correlations with hand-scored freezing; r values ranged from 0.87 to 0.94. Previously reported strain differences between C57BL/6J and DBA/2J in context-dependent fear conditioning were also detected by the computer-based system. In addition, the use of computer-scored freezing of 199 (BALB/cJ x C57BL/6J)F2 mice enabled us to detect a suggestive gender-dependent chromosomal locus for contextual fear conditioning on distal chromosome 8 by QTL analysis. Automation of freeze scoring would significantly increase efficiency and reliability of this learning and memory test.

Circadian behavior and plasticity of light-induced c-fos expression in SCN of tau mutant hamsters

In hamsters homozygous for the circadian clock mutation tau, the photic history dramatically affects the magnitude of light-induced circadian phase shifts. The maximum amplitude of phase shifts produced by 1-h light pulses presented at CT 14 was less than 2 h in animals that had been in DD for 2 days, whereas animals that had been kept in DD for 49 days could be shifted by more than 8 h. In this study, the authors compared the effect of previous light history on the amplitude of circadian phase shifts and on c-fos expression in the SCN of tau mutant hamsters. Although the maximum amplitude of behavioral phase shifts was drastically different between animals that had been held for either 2 or 49 days in DD, maximal fos induction was not significantly different in these two groups. However, photic thresholds for light-induced behavioral phase shifts, c-fos mRNA, and Fos immunoreactivity were closely correlated within both groups, and these thresholds were lower (more sensitive to light) after 49 than after 2 days in DD. The correlation between phase shifting and Fos induction thresholds, under conditions where both responses are dramatically altered by the previous light history, demonstrates an association between changes in circadian behavioral phase-shifting responses of tau mutant hamsters and plasticity of light-induced c-fos expression in SCN. However, because the maximum amplitudes of Fos induction and phase shifting were not correlated in animals that had been in DD for 2 days, we speculate that the level of c-fos expression does not directly determine phase shift amplitude.

Role of the CLOCK protein in the mammalian circadian mechanism

The mouse Clock gene encodes a bHLH-PAS protein that regulates circadian rhythms and is related to transcription factors that act as heterodimers. Potential partners of CLOCK were isolated in a two-hybrid screen, and one, BMAL1, was coexpressed with CLOCK and PER1 at known circadian clock sites in brain and retina. CLOCK-BMAL1 heterodimers activated transcription from E-box elements, a type of transcription factor-binding site, found adjacent to the mouse per1 gene and from an identical E-box known to be important for per gene expression in Drosophila. Mutant CLOCK from the dominant-negative Clock allele and BMAL1 formed heterodimers that bound DNA but failed to activate transcription. Thus, CLOCK-BMAL1 heterodimers appear to drive the positive component of per transcriptional oscillations, which are thought to underlie circadian rhythmicity.

Closing the circadian loop: CLOCK-induced transcription of its own inhibitors per and tim

The circadian oscillator generates a rhythmic output with a period of about 24 hours. Despite extensive studies in several model systems, the biochemical mode of action has not yet been demonstrated for any of its components. Here, the Drosophila CLOCK protein was shown to induce transcription of the circadian rhythm genes period and timeless. dCLOCK functioned as a heterodimer with a Drosophila homolog of BMAL1. These proteins acted through an E-box sequence in the period promoter. The timeless promoter contains an 18-base pair element encompassing an E-box, which was sufficient to confer dCLOCK responsiveness to a reporter gene. PERIOD and TIMELESS proteins blocked dCLOCK's ability to transactivate their promoters via the E-box. Thus, dCLOCK drives expression of period and timeless, which in turn inhibit dCLOCK's activity and close the circadian loop.

Effects of aging on the circadian rhythm of wheel-running activity in C57BL/6 mice

The effects of age on the circadian clock system have been extensively studied, mainly in two rodent species, the laboratory rat and the golden hamster. However, less information is available on how aging alters circadian rhythmicity in a commonly studied rodent animal model, the mouse. Therefore, in the present study we compared the rhythm of wheel-running activity in adult (6-9 mo) and old (19-22 mo) C57BL/6J mice maintained under different lighting conditions for a period of 4 mo. During this period, mice were subjected to phase advances and phase delays of the light-dark (LD) cycle and eventually to constant darkness (DD). In LD (12 h light, 12 h dark), old mice exhibited delayed activity onset relative to light offset and an increase in the variability of activity onset compared with adult mice. After a 4-h phase advance of the LD cycle, old mice took significantly longer to reentrain their activity rhythm when compared with adult animals. Old mice also demonstrated a decline in the number of wheel revolutions per day and a tendency toward a decrease in the length of the active phase. An increase in fragmentation of activity across the 24-h day was obvious in aging animals, with bouts of activity being shorter and longer rest periods intervening between them. No age difference was detected in the maximum intensity of wheel-running activity. In DD, the free-running period was significantly longer in old mice compared with adults. In view of the rapidly expanding importance of the laboratory mouse for molecular and genetic studies of the mammalian nervous system, the present results provide a basis at the phenotypic level to begin to apply genetic methods to the analysis of circadian rhythms and aging in mammals.

Lability of circadian pacemaker amplitude in chick pineal cells: a temperature-dependent process

Temperature is a major regulator of circadian rhythms. The authors report here three lines of evidence that temperature modulates the amplitude of the circadian pacemaker that drives rhythmic melatonin production in chick pineal cells. (1) The melatonin rhythm persists longer in constant conditions at 40 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. (2) the phase response curve to low-intensity (0.15 microW/cm2) light pulses of 6-h duration has a higher amplitude at 37 degrees C than at 40 degrees C; a nonphotic stimulus, anisomycin, also causes larger shifts at 37 degrees C than at 40 degrees C. These results suggest a general increase in sensitivity to phase-shifting stimuli as temperature decreases. (3) The light intensity necessary for a critical pulse that causes arrhythmicity is lower at 37 degrees C than at 40 degrees C. All three of these effects of temperature can be explained in a unified manner by a limit cycle model in which temperature increases circadian pacemaker amplitude. The use of critical pulse experiments provides a novel method for estimating relative circadian pacemaker amplitude under different conditions.

The mouse Clock mutation behaves as an antimorph and maps within the W19H deletion, distal of Kit

Clock is a semidominant mutation identified from an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis screen in mice. Mice carrying the Clock mutation exhibit abnormalities of circadian behavior, including lengthening of endogenous period and loss of rhythmicity. To identify the gene affected by this mutation, we have generated a high-resolution genetic map (> 1800 meioses) of the Clock locus. We report that Clock is 0.7 cM distal of Kit on mouse chromosome 5. Mapping shows that Clock lies within the W19H deletion. Complementation analysis of different Clock and W19H compound genotypes indicates that the Clock mutation behaves as an antimorph. This antimorphic behavior of Clock strongly argues that Clock defines a gene centrally involved in the mammalian circadian system.

Visual sensitivities of nur77 (NGFI-B) and zif268 (NGFI-A) induction in the suprachiasmatic nucleus are dissociated from c-fos induction and behavioral phase-shifting responses

Mammalian circadian rhythms are regulated by a pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Recent work from several laboratories has shown that light induces the IEGs, c-fos and jun-B, in the rodent suprachiasmatic nucleus. In hamsters, there is a strong correlation between circadian entrainment and the induction of c-fos and jun-B in the suprachiasmatic nucleus by light. Previous work has shown that the IEGs, nur77 and zif268, both of which encode transcription factors, are also light-inducible in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus [Rusak, B., McNaughton, L., Robertson, H.A. and Hunt, S.P., Circadian variation in photic regulation of IEG mRNAs in rat suprachiasmatic nucleus cells, Mol. Brain Res., 14 (1992) 124-130.; Sutin, E.L. and Kilduff, T.S., Circadian and light-induced expression of IEG mRNAs in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus, Mol. Brain Res., 15 (1992) 281-290.]. To characterize the photic-regulation of these genes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of golden hamsters, we used in situ hybridization to measure nur77 and zif268 mRNA levels with 33P-labeled complementary RNA probes. 5-min monochromatic light pulses at CT19 induced a dramatic increase in both nur77 and zif268 mRNA levels. Peak mRNA levels occurred 45-60 min after light onset for both nur77 and zif268. In addition, the induction of both nur77 and zif268 mRNA levels was gated by the circadian pacemaker. Light pulses during subjective day (CT3 and CT9), which do not cause behavioral phase-shifts, did not significantly alter mRNA levels of either nur77 or zif268; whereas light pulses during the subjective night (CT14 and CT19), which induce phase-shifts, dramatically increased both nur77 and zif268 mRNA levels. In contrast to c-fos induction, which has a photic threshold indistinguishable from that of the behavioral phase-shifting response, nur77 and zif268 mRNA induction were found to have visual sensitivities greater than the phase-shifting response by 1-2 log units (10-100-fold). Although light and circadian phase regulate nur77 and zif268 expression in the SCN, these results demonstrate that their induction is not rate-limiting for photic entrainment of the hamster circadian system.

Functional identification of the mouse circadian Clock gene by transgenic BAC rescue

As a complementary approach to positional cloning, we used in vivo complementation with bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones expressed in transgenic mice to identify the circadian Clock gene. A 140 kb BAC transgene completely rescued both the long period and the loss-of-rhythm phenotypes in Clock mutant mice. Analysis with overlapping BAC transgenes demonstrates that a large transcription unit spanning approximately 100,000 base pairs is the Clock gene and encodes a novel basic-helix-loop-helix-PAS domain protein. Overexpression of the Clock transgene can shorten period length beyond the wild-type range, which provides additional evidence that Clock is an integral component of the circadian pacemaking system. Taken together, these results provide a proof of principle that "cloning by rescue" is an efficient and definitive method in mice.

Positional cloning of the mouse circadian clock gene

We used positional cloning to identify the circadian Clock gene in mice. Clock is a large transcription unit with 24 exons spanning approximately 100,000 bp of DNA from which transcript classes of 7.5 and approximately 10 kb arise. Clock encodes a novel member of the bHLH-PAS family of transcription factors. In the Clock mutant allele, an A-->T nucleotide transversion in a splice donor site causes exon skipping and deletion of 51 amino acids in the CLOCK protein. Clock is a unique gene with known circadian function and with features predicting DNA binding, protein dimerization, and activation domains. CLOCK represents the second example of a PAS domain-containing clock protein (besides Drosophila PERIOD), which suggests that this motif may define an evolutionarily conserved feature of the circadian clock mechanism.

Regulation of the vgf gene in the golden hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus by light and by the circadian clock

By using in situ hybridization in the golden hamster brain, we have found that vgf mRNA levels are induced as a response to light stimulation in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the site of the mammalian circadian pacemaker. The induction exhibits delayed kinetics relative to known light-induced immediate early genes: induction of vgf mRNA occurs over a period of 3 to 9 hours after light exposure. Photic induction of vgf expression does not occur in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, though this nucleus expresses vgf at the mRNA and protein levels. Photic induction of vgf in the SCN occurs only at circadian times when light also causes a phase shift of the circadian system. The irradiance threshold of vgf induction in the SCN closely matches that of the behavioral phase shifting response. In addition, basal expression of vgf in the SCN, but not in the PVN, exhibits a circadian rhythm in constant darkness. The photic induction and circadian rhythm of vgf expression are anatomically separated in the caudal and rostral portions of the SCN, respectively. These results represent the first example of a delayed response to light relative to light-induced immediate early genes at the mRNA level in the SCN.

Critical period for cycloheximide blockade of light-induced phase advances of the circadian locomotor activity rhythm in golden hamsters

Recent studies indicate that the protein products of genes involved in transcriptional regulation play an important role in light-induced phase-shifting of the circadian clock, and suggest that protein synthesis may be necessary for some critical steps in the process by which light can induce a phase shift. In order to determine if this protein-dependent step occurs before, during or at some time after the light pulse is presented, golden hamsters were treated with the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide (65 mg/kg, injected subcutaneously), at various times relative to the presentation of a light pulse that normally induces an advance in the circadian locomotor activity rhythm. When hamsters were treated with cycloheximide 1 h or 30 min before, as well as 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 h after the onset of the light pulse; the phase advancing effects of light were completely blocked and delay phase shifts were observed. The observed phase shifts in these groups of animals were not significantly different from those observed in animals treated with cycloheximide without exposure to light. Treatment with cycloheximide 6 or 3 h before the light pulse partially blocked light-induced phase advances. The phase advancing effects of light were not altered in those animals injected with cycloheximide 6 or 9 h after the light pulse. These results support the hypothesis that protein synthesis is necessary for light-induced phase advances in the mammalian circadian clock, and indicate that such synthesis is necessary for at least 4 h after the light pulse for phase shifts to occur. Thus, light may not induce an instantaneous (< 1 h) phase shift in the circadian clock of hamsters, but instead depends on the synthesis of proteins for about 4 h after light stimulation.

Molecular cloning of chick pineal tryptophan hydroxylase and circadian oscillation of its mRNA levels

We have previously shown that the level of [35S]methionine incorporation into tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) shows a circadian rhythm in cultured chick pineal cells. The TPH protein oscillation persists in constant darkness, peaks in the early night and can be phase-shifted by light, in parallel to the effect of these treatments on melatonin synthesis. We have cloned and sequenced a full-length cDNA for chick pineal TPH. Levels of TPH mRNA show a robust diurnal oscillation both in vivo and in vitro. The rhythm in TPH mRNA also persists in constant darkness, suggesting that TPH mRNA synthesis and/or turnover is regulated by an endogenous circadian clock in cultured chick pineal cells. The circadian oscillation of TPH constitutes the first described circadian rhythm of a chick pineal gene at the mRNA level.

Quantitative two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis of clock-controlled proteins in cultured chick pineal cells: circadian regulation of tryptophan hydroxylase

The progression of the circadian oscillator through its cycle and the circadian rhythm of melatonin production in dissociated chick pineal cultures both require daily de novo protein synthesis during defined circadian phases. To identify specific proteins involved in these two processes, we have performed a quantitative two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic screen of proteins that are synthesized at different times of the day in chick pineal cell cultures. Out of approximately 700 proteins analyzed, we have identified several proteins whose levels of 35S incorporation oscillate in a light/dark cycle. One protein of 56 kDa, pI 6 (p56) undergoes a diurnal oscillation that parallels the melatonin rhythm, reaching a peak early in the night and falling to minimal levels during the day. A second protein of 22 kDa, pI 4.5 (p22) also expresses a diurnal rhythm in 35S incorporation; however, it peaks at the end of the night. The oscillations of both proteins persist, with a reduced amplitude, in constant darkness. Furthermore, the phases of the p56 and p22 rhythms are regulated by the light/dark cycle. Both p56 and p22 appear to be under direct control of the chick pineal circadian oscillator, and therefore can be described as "clock-controlled proteins." We have identified p56 as tryptophan hydroxylase by microsequencing and western blotting. Chick pineal tryptophan hydroxylase also expresses a 24-h oscillation in abundance both in vitro and in vivo. The rhythm in tryptophan hydroxylase expression represents a newly discovered level of regulation of the melatonin synthesis pathway by the circadian clock in chick pineal cells.

Regulation of tryptophan hydroxylase by cyclic AMP, calcium, norepinephrine, and light in cultured chick pineal cells

The level of 35S incorporation into tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) shows a circadian rhythm in cultured chick pineal cells. The TPH oscillation peaks in the early subjective night, persists in constant darkness, and can be phase shifted by light, in parallel to the effect of these treatments on melatonin synthesis. Using quantitative two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we have examined the regulation of TPH by agents known to affect melatonin synthesis in the chick pineal. We report here that 35S incorporation into TPH is induced by cyclic AMP and calcium, and partially inhibited by acute exposure to light. Cyclic AMP also causes a proportional increase in the radiolabeling of one of the TPH isoforms and a concomitant decrease in another isoform, possibly reflecting a change in the phosphorylation state of TPH. This effect is reversed by treatments known to reduce intracellular cyclic AMP levels in the chick pineal. Cyclic AMP thus appears to be involved in both translational and posttranslational processes regulating the expression of TPH in chick pineal cells.

Light, immediate-early genes, and circadian rhythms

Many diverse behaviors exhibit clear circadian rhythms in their expression. In mammals, these rhythms originate from a neural circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Recently, signaling pathways activated by light in the SCN have begun to be identified. A specific set of immediate-early genes is induced by light in the SCN, and their expression is correlated with the resetting of circadian behavioral rhythms. These light-regulated immediate-early genes offer multiple inroads into the biology of the SCN: first, they are functional markers for the activation of SCN neurons by light; second, they can direct us to the upstream light-activated (and clock-regulated) signal transduction pathways which mediate their induction; and finally, they encode transcription factor proteins which may play a role in the molecular mechanism of resetting the circadian clock.

Calcium modulates circadian variation in cAMP-stimulated melatonin in chick pineal cells

In chick pineal cells, melatonin synthesis is regulated by both calcium and cAMP. Calcium-dependent regulation of melatonin is suggested by the monotonic decrease in melatonin observed with decreasing extracellular calcium ion concentrations ([Ca2+]0), the stimulation of melatonin with Bay K8644, and the inhibition of nocturnal melatonin by several calmodulin antagonists. At submicromolar [Ca2+]0, a stimulation of melatonin was observed in the presence of 8-Br cAMP, but not with Bay K8644, suggesting that this amount of stimulation of melatonin by 8-Br cAMP is independent of Ca2+ influx through dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca2+ channels. At micromolar [Ca2+]0, there was a further increase in the stimulation of melatonin by 8-Br cAMP that was not blocked by nifedipine, a dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca2+ channel antagonist. Micromolar [Ca2+]0 is required for the greater stimulation of melatonin by 8-Br cAMP during the night than during the day. Melatonin was stimulated by 8-Br cAMP to higher levels during the night than during the subjective day under normal [Ca2+]0 (1.3 mM). This difference in the amount of melatonin stimulated by 8-Br cAMP during the subjective night versus the subjective day was blocked by lowering [Ca2+]0 to a submicromolar concentration (0.2 microM). Both nifedipine and calmidazolium partially blocked nocturnal increases in melatonin, but were ineffective during the day. These results suggest that Ca2+ plays an important role in the differential ability of cAMP to stimulate melatonin during the night versus the day.

Effects of aging on light-induced phase-shifting of circadian behavioral rhythms, fos expression and CREB phosphorylation in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus

Aging is associated with a variety of alterations in circadian rhythms, including changes in the response to environmental stimuli. The underlying causes for these age-related changes in the circadian system remain unknown. Recent studies have demonstrated that light induces the expression of Fos and phosphorylation of the cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein in the rodent suprachiasmatic nuclei, the location of a master circadian pacemaker in mammals, suggesting that these transcription factors may mediate the effects of light on the circadian clock. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of aging upon light-induced phase-shifting of circadian locomotor activity rhythms, Fos protein expression and cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation in the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Young (three to four months) and old (18-22 months) male golden hamsters free-running in constant darkness were exposed to 5-min monochromatic light pulses of different irradiance levels, at circadian time 19, after which either steady-state phase shifts of locomotor activity rhythms were measured, or else immunocytochemistry for Fos or for phospho-cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein was performed. Old hamsters were approximately 20 times less sensitive to the phase-shifting effects of light on the activity rhythm, and the photic irradiance threshold for Fos-like immunoreactivity induction in the suprachiasmatic nuclei was elevated when compared to young animals. Aging was also associated with a deficit in cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation by light. These data indicate that there are dramatic changes in light-activated molecular responses in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of old hamsters, and suggest that these molecular changes may underlie age-related changes in the effects of light on the circadian clock system.