A novel pathway for sensory-mediated arousal involves splicing of an intron in the period clock gene.

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

D. melanogaster is an excellent animal model to study how the circadian (≅24-h) timing system and sleep regulate daily wake-sleep cycles. Splicing of a temperature-sensitive 3'-terminal intron (termed dmpi8) from the circadian clock gene period (per) regulates the distribution of daily activity in Drosophila. The role of dmpi8 splicing on daily behavior was further evaluated by analyzing sleep.

Design

Transgenic flies of the same genetic background but expressing either a wild-type recombinant per gene or one where the efficiency of dmpi8 splicing was increased were exposed to different temperatures in daily light-dark cycles and sleep parameters measured. In addition, transgenic flies were briefly exposed to a variety of sensory-mediated stimuli to measure

SUBMITTER: Cao W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4262954 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature