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Dissection of central clock function in Drosophila through cell-specific CRISPR-mediated clock gene disruption

Authors :
Rebecca Delventhal
Reed M O'Connor
Meghan M Pantalia
Matthew Ulgherait
Han X Kim
Maylis K Basturk
Julie C Canman
Mimi Shirasu-Hiza
Source :
eLife, Vol 8 (2019)
Publication Year :
2019
Publisher :
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd, 2019.

Abstract

In Drosophila, ~150 neurons expressing molecular clock proteins regulate circadian behavior. Sixteen of these neurons secrete the neuropeptide Pdf and have been called ‘master pacemakers’ because they are essential for circadian rhythms. A subset of Pdf+ neurons (the morning oscillator) regulates morning activity and communicates with other non-Pdf+ neurons, including a subset called the evening oscillator. It has been assumed that the molecular clock in Pdf+ neurons is required for these functions. To test this, we developed and validated Gal4-UAS based CRISPR tools for cell-specific disruption of key molecular clock components, period and timeless. While loss of the molecular clock in both the morning and evening oscillators eliminates circadian locomotor activity, the molecular clock in either oscillator alone is sufficient to rescue circadian locomotor activity in the absence of the other. This suggests that clock neurons do not act in a hierarchy but as a distributed network to regulate circadian activity.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2050084X
Volume :
8
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
eLife
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.bc7e0b4937834d64871be6d898373b6b
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.48308