The orphan nuclear receptor REV-ERBalpha controls circadian transcription within the positive limb of the mammalian circadian oscillator

Cell. 2002 Jul 26;110(2):251-60. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(02)00825-5.

Abstract

Mammalian circadian rhythms are generated by a feedback loop in which BMAL1 and CLOCK, players of the positive limb, activate transcription of the cryptochrome and period genes, components of the negative limb. Bmal1 and Per transcription cycles display nearly opposite phases and are thus governed by different mechanisms. Here, we identify the orphan nuclear receptor REV-ERBalpha as the major regulator of cyclic Bmal1 transcription. Circadian Rev-erbalpha expression is controlled by components of the general feedback loop. Thus, REV-ERBalpha constitutes a molecular link through which components of the negative limb drive antiphasic expression of components of the positive limb. While REV-ERBalpha influences the period length and affects the phase-shifting properties of the clock, it is not required for circadian rhythm generation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ARNTL Transcription Factors
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Biological Clocks / physiology*
  • CLOCK Proteins
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Circadian Rhythm / physiology*
  • Cryptochromes
  • DNA, Complementary
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Eye Proteins*
  • Flavoproteins / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Heart
  • Humans
  • Liver
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 1
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • Period Circadian Proteins
  • Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / physiology
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid*
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone*
  • Response Elements
  • Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • ARNTL Transcription Factors
  • BMAL1 protein, human
  • Bmal1 protein, mouse
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cryptochromes
  • DNA, Complementary
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Eye Proteins
  • Flavoproteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 1
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • PER1 protein, human
  • PER2 protein, human
  • Per1 protein, mouse
  • Per1 protein, rat
  • Per2 protein, mouse
  • Per2 protein, rat
  • Period Circadian Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RORC protein, human
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
  • Rorc protein, mouse
  • Rorc protein, rat
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • cry protein, Drosophila
  • CLOCK Proteins
  • CLOCK protein, human
  • Clock protein, mouse
  • Clock protein, rat