An Inherited Functional Circadian Clock in Zebrafish Embryos

Circadian clocks are time-keeping systems found in most organisms. In zebrafish, expression of the clock gene Period3 (Per3) oscillates throughout embryogenesis in the central nervous system and the retina. Per3 rhythmic expression was free-running and was reset by light but not by the developmental delays caused by low temperature. The time of fertilization had no effect on Per3 expression. Per3 messenger RNA accumulates rhythmically in oocytes and persists in embryos. Our results establish that the circadian dock functions during early embryogenesis in zebrafish. Inheritance of maternal dock gene products suggests a mechanism of phase inheritance through ovogenesis.
Circadian rhythms in physiology and behavior allow living organisms to anticipate daily environmental changes (1). These rhythms are driven by endogenous circadian clocks synchronized to external time cues. All known [...]