The locomotor activity rhythm of Drosophila melanogaster is controlled by a dual oscillator system

Citation
C. Helfrich-forster, The locomotor activity rhythm of Drosophila melanogaster is controlled by a dual oscillator system, J INSECT PH, 47(8), 2001, pp. 877-887
Citations number
39
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Entomology/Pest Control",Physiology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
ISSN journal
0022-1910 → ACNP
Volume
47
Issue
8
Year of publication
2001
Pages
877 - 887
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-1910(20010715)47:8<877:TLAROD>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
Wild-type fruit flies show a pronounced bimodal locomotor activity pattern under light-dark conditions. This pattern seems to be due to two oscillator y components - the morning and evening oscillators. Whereas the evening osc illator is controlled by the well studied clock gene period, the morning os cillator appears independent of the period gene. The present study shows th at per(0) mutants retain the morning oscillator. The latter is apparently n ot strong enough to drive rhythmic activity under conditions of constant da rkness. However, under light-dark conditions the activity of per(0) mutants is entrained whereby the onset of activity depends on the Zeitgeber period . This behaviour is characteristic of circadian oscillators. The nature of the morning oscillator and its putative relationship to the photoperiodic t iming is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.