New kind of protein interactions with changes to internal clocks
Circadian clocks, which drive circadian rhythms, are entwined with many essential systems in living things including plants, fungi, insects, and even humans. Because of this, disruptions to our circadian clocks are linked to higher disease rates in humans, including certain cancers and autoimmune diseases.
In research recently published, the team discovered that the disordered clock protein, FRQ, in a fungus called Neurospora crassa, interacted with a protein called FRH in an unexpected way. They found regions or “blocks” on FRQ that were positively charged. These blocks allowed FRQ and FRH to interact across many different regions.
“We expected a simple, straightforward interaction between FRQ and FRH,” said the author. “And we found the interaction was much more complex than we expected.”
The team found that this so-called bear hug causes the molecular circadian clock to flip from being an hourglass, which needs to be reset every day by light, to a persistent oscillator, which allows for a continuous rhythm without needing to be reset by light. This persistent circadian oscillator is the fundamental way in which the circadian clock keeps time, regulating anything from our behaviors to how an animal in the Arctic knows when to hunt, even when there is no light available in the winter months.
#ScienceMission #sciencenewshighlights
https://lnkd.in/geZtKHgR
Nederland
3moInteresting