Dataset Information

Two light sensors decode moonlight versus sunlight to adjust a plastic circadian/circalunidian clock to moon phase.

ABSTRACT: Many species synchronize their physiology and behavior to specific hours. It is commonly assumed that sunlight acts as the main entrainment signal for ∼24-h clocks. However, the moon provides similarly regular time information. Consistently, a growing number of studies have reported correlations between diel behavior and lunidian cycles. Yet, mechanistic insight into the possible influences of the moon on ∼24-h timers remains scarce. We have explored the marine bristleworm Platynereis dumerilii to investigate the role of moonlight in the timing of daily behavior. We uncover that moonlight, besides its role in monthly timing, also schedules the exact hour of nocturnal swarming onset to the nights’ darkest times. Our work reveals that extended moonlight impacts on a plastic clock that exhibits <24 h (moonlit) or >24 h (no moon) periodicity. Abundance, light sensitivity, and genetic requirement indicate that the Platynereis light receptor molecule r-Opsin1 serves as a receptor that senses moonrise, whereas the cryptochrome protein L-Cry is required to discriminate the proper valence of nocturnal light as either moonlight or sunlight. Comparative experiments in Drosophila suggest that cryptochrome’s principle requirement for light valence interpretation is conserved. Its exact biochemical properties differ, however, between species with dissimilar timing ecology. Our work advances the molecular understanding of lunar impact on fundamental rhythmic processes, including those of marine mass spawners endangered by anthropogenic change.

SUBMITTER: Zurl M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9295771 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Two light sensors decode moonlight versus sunlight to adjust a plastic circadian/circalunidian clock to moon phase.

Zurl Martin M Poehn Birgit B Rieger Dirk D Krishnan Shruthi S Rokvic Dunja D Veedin Rajan Vinoth Babu VB Gerrard Elliot E Schlichting Matthias M Orel Lukas L Ćorić Aida A Lucas Robert J RJ Wolf Eva E Helfrich-Förster Charlotte C Raible Florian F Tessmar-Raible Kristin K

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20220527 22

Many species synchronize their physiology and behavior to specific hours. It is commonly assumed that sunlight acts as the main entrainment signal for ∼24-h clocks. However, the moon provides similarly regular time information. Consistently, a growing number of studies have reported correlations between diel behavior and lunidian cycles. Yet, mechanistic insight into the possible influences of the moon on ∼24-h timers remains scarce. We have explored the marine bristleworm Platynereis dumerilii ...[more]

PMID: 35622889

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Project description:The timing of daily “circadian” behavior can be highly variable among different individuals, and twin studies suggest that about half of this variability is environmentally controlled. Similar plasticity can be seen in mice exposed to an altered lighting environment – for example, 22-hour days instead of 24-hour ones – which stably alters the genetically determined period of circadian behavior for months. The mechanisms mediating these environmental influences are unknown. Here, we show that transient exposure of mice to such lighting stably alters global transcription in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (the SCN, the “master clock” tissue determining circadian behavior in mammals). We have also showed that, these changes in transcription are due to change in DNA methylation in the SCN. Indeed, genome-wide methylation profiling revealed global alterations in promoter DNA methylation in the SCN. Importantly, infusion of a methyltransferase inhibitor to the SCN during 22-hour days suppressed period changes. We also found that these behavioral and DNA methylation changes are reversible upon entrainment to 24-hours days. We conclude that the SCN utilizes DNA methylation as a mechanism to drive circadian clock plasticity. Methods: First, 16 mice 5 to 6 weeks old were exposed to DD for 7 days in order to measure their FRP. Then, mice were separated into 2 groups of 8 and entrained to ST and NT cycle. After 4 weeks we recorded wheel-running behavior in constant darkness. After 5 days in DD, we used Clocklab software to predict time of activity onset for each mouse. Brains were isolated at CT4 and sliced with a microtome using a fresh HBSS medium (thickness 250 uM) and the SCN was cut out with the aid of a binocular microscope and stored immediately at –80°C. Total RNA was extracted using the SurePrep™ Nuclear or Cytoplasmic RNA Purification Kit (Fisher Scientific) according to the manufacturer's protocol. A total of 500 ng of RNA was used for subsequent steps. These steps included DNAase treatment, polyA selection, depletion of ribosomal RNA, overall quality check, and library preparation, and were performed by Fasteris (CH). Libraries were prepared according to standard Illumina protocols. sequence quality, read mapping and data analysis: all steps were done using the GeneProf platform. Briefly, the sequencing reads of each library were first quality checked for read length and nucleotide composition, and then submitted for mapping to the mouse genome refrence sequence (Ensemble 58 mouse Genes, NCBIM37 assembly) using the alignment tool TopHat. Results: Entrainment to non-24 hours light/dark cycle induces a global changes in the SCN transcriptome.

Project description:The timing of daily M-bM-^@M-^\circadianM-bM-^@M-^] behavior can be highly variable among different individuals, and twin studies suggest that about half of this variability is environmentally controlled. Similar plasticity can be seen in mice exposed to an altered lighting environment M-bM-^@M-^S for example, 22-hour days instead of 24-hour ones M-bM-^@M-^S which stably alters the genetically determined period of circadian behavior for months. The mechanisms mediating these environmental influences are unknown. Here, we show that transient exposure of mice to such lighting stably alters global transcription in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (the SCN, the M-bM-^@M-^\master clockM-bM-^@M-^] tissue determining circadian behavior in mammals). We have also showed that, these changes in transcription are due to change in DNA methylation in the SCN. Indeed, genome-wide methylation profiling revealed global alterations in promoter DNA methylation in the SCN. Importantly, infusion of a methyltransferase inhibitor to the SCN during 22-hour days suppressed period changes. We also found that these behavioral and DNA methylation changes are reversible upon entrainment to 24-hours days. We conclude that the SCN utilizes DNA methylation as a mechanism to drive circadian clock plasticity. Methods: First, 16 mice 5 to 6 weeks old were exposed to DD for 7 days in order to measure their FRP. Then, mice were separated into 2 groups of 8 and entrained to ST and NT cycle. After 4 weeks we recorded wheel-running behavior in constant darkness. After 5 days in DD, we used Clocklab software to predict time of activity onset for each mouse. Brains were isolated at CT4 and sliced with a microtome using a fresh HBSS medium (thickness 250 uM) and the SCN was cut out with the aid of a binocular microscope and stored immediately at M-bM-^@M-^S80M-BM-0C. Total RNA was extracted using the SurePrepM-bM-^DM-" Nuclear or Cytoplasmic RNA Purification Kit (Fisher Scientific) according to the manufacturer's protocol. A total of 500 ng of RNA was used for subsequent steps. These steps included DNAase treatment, polyA selection, depletion of ribosomal RNA, overall quality check, and library preparation, and were performed by Fasteris (CH). Libraries were prepared according to standard Illumina protocols. sequence quality, read mapping and data analysis: all steps were done using the GeneProf platform. Briefly, the sequencing reads of each library were first quality checked for read length and nucleotide composition, and then submitted for mapping to the mouse genome refrence sequence (Ensemble 58 mouse Genes, NCBIM37 assembly) using the alignment tool TopHat. Results: Entrainment to non-24 hours light/dark cycle induces a global changes in the SCN transcriptome. SCN mRNA profile of mice entrained to normal and short T-cycle using RNAseq technology.

Dataset Information

Two light sensors decode moonlight versus sunlight to adjust a plastic circadian/circalunidian clock to moon phase.

Publications

Two light sensors decode moonlight versus sunlight to adjust a plastic circadian/circalunidian clock to moon phase.

Similar Datasets

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