Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity is modulated by light and gates rapid phase shifts of the circadian clock.

ABSTRACT: The circadian clock enables organisms to synchronize biochemical and physiological processes over a 24 hr period. Natural changes in lighting conditions, as well as artificial disruptions like jet lag or shift work, can advance or delay the clock phase to align physiology with the environment. Within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, circadian timekeeping and resetting rely on both membrane depolarization and intracellular second-messenger signaling. Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) facilitate calcium influx in both processes, activating intracellular signaling pathways that trigger Period (Per) gene expression. However, the precise mechanism by which these processes are concertedly gated remains unknown. Our study in mice demonstrates that cyclin-d

SUBMITTER: Brenna A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11820109 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature