Circadian regulation of key physiological processes by the RITMO1 clock protein in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

ABSTRACT: Phasing biological and physiological processes to periodic light-dark cycles is crucial for the life of most organisms. Marine diatoms, as many phytoplanktonic species, exhibit biological rhythms, yet their molecular timekeepers remain largely uncharacterized. Recently, the bHLH-PAS protein RITMO1 has been proposed to act as a regulator of diatom circadian rhythms. In this study, we first determined the physiological conditions to monitor circadian clock activity and its perturbation in the diatom model species Phaeodactylum tricornutum by using cell fluorescence as a circadian output. Employing ectopic overexpression, targeted gene mutagenesis, and functional complementation, we then investigated the role of RITMO1 in various circadian processes. Our data reveal that RITMO1 significantly

SUBMITTER: Manzotti A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12018780 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature