Project description:Here we reveal a novel role for the circadian clock gene Bmal1 and Period2 in regulating the spatial organization of the cone opsins. Deletion of Bmal1 and Per2 have opposing effects on S-opsin expression and patterning of the cone photoreceptors is disrupted in cone specific knockouts of these genes. Using ChIP analysis we show that BMAL1 directly binds to the promoter region of the thyroid activating enzyme type II deiodinase (Dio2).
Project description:The diurnal peak of phagocytosis by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of photoreceptor outer segments is under circadian control, and it is believed that this process involves interactions from both the retina and RPE. Previous studies have demonstrated that a functional circadian clock exists within multiple retinal cell types and RPE cells. Thereby, the aim of the current study was to determine whether the circadian clock in the retina and or RPE controls the diurnal phagocytic peak of photoreceptor outer segments and whether selective disruption of the circadian clock in the RPE would affect RPE cells function and the viability during aging. To that aim, we first generated and validated an RPE tissue-specific KO of the essential clock gene, Bmal1, and then we determined the daily rhythm in phagocytic activity by the RPE in mice lacking a functional circadian clock in the retina or RPE. Then using electroretinography, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography, and optomotor response measurements of visual function we determined the effect of Bmal1 removal in young (6-month-old) and old (18-months old) mice. RPE morphology and lipofuscin accumulation was also determined in young and old mice. Our data show that the circadian clock in the RPE controls the daily diurnal phagocytic peak of POS. Surprisingly, the lack of a functional RPE circadian clock or the diurnal phagocytic peak does not result in any detectable age-related degenerative phenotype in the retina or RPE. Thus, our results demonstrate that the circadian clock in the RPE controls the daily peak in the phagocytic activity. However, the loss of the circadian clock in the RPE does not result in deterioration of photoreceptors or the RPE during aging.
Project description:Purpose: The goals of this study are to evaluate the impact of the removal of the key circadian clock component BMAL1 on the transcriptome of cone photoreceptors Methods: Cone mRNA profiles of adult wild-type (WT, HRGPcre;Bmal1f/+) and cone-specific BMAL1 (HRGPcre;Bmal1f/f or cone-Bmal1−/−) mice were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate, using Illumina GAIIx. The sequence reads that passed quality filters were analyzed at the transcript isoform level with two methods: Burrows–Wheeler Aligner (BWA) followed by ANOVA (ANOVA) and TopHat followed by Cufflinks. qRT–PCR validation was performed using TaqMan and SYBR Green assays Results: Comparison of the cone transcriptome between cone-Bmal1-/- and wild-type littermates at a single time point (middle of the light phase) revealed 88 genes differentially expressed (P < 0.05, fold change > 2). As expected, these 88 genes included known clock components but also genes known to be involved in a wide range of functions: gene regulation, neuron development and structure, protein binding, and transport. Conclusions: Our study represents the first detailed analysis of cone-BMAL1 transcriptomes, with biologic replicates, generated by RNA-seq technology. These data are consistent with the view that the cone clock controls many aspects of the development, maintenance, and function of the cones through its control of the transcriptome.
Project description:The transcription factor BMAL1 is a core element of the circadian clock that contributes to cyclic control of genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. By using biochemical cellular fractionation and immunofluorescence analyses we reveal a previously uncharacterized nucleolar localization for BMAL1. We used an unbiased approach to determine the BMAL1 interactome by mass spectrometry and identified NOP58 as a prominent nucleolar interactor. NOP58, a core component of the box C/D small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein complex, associates with Snord118 to control specific pre-ribosomal RNA (rRNA) processing steps. These results suggest a non-canonical role of BMAL1 in rRNA regulation. Indeed, we show that BMAL1 controls NOP58-associated Snord118 nucleolar levels and cleavage of unique pre-rRNA intermediates. Our findings identify an unsuspected function of BMAL1 in the nucleolus that appears distinct from its canonical role in the circadian clock system
Project description:To investigate the role of the circadian clock of the photoreceptor cells in regulation of retinal protein rhythms, we have analyzed diurnal protein expression in the photoreceptor-deficient cone-rod homeobox knock out mouse (Crx-/-). Retinal homogenates of 129/sv and Crx-/- mice were analysed by 2D-PAGE. Differentially expressed spots were in-gel digested with trypsin and identified by LC-MS/MS. Data were used to search the Swiss-Prot protein database.
Project description:Obesity and liver diseases are associated with the disruption of the circadian clock that orchestrates mammalian physiology to optimize nutrient metabolism and storage. We show here that the activity of the circadian clock regulator BMAL1 is perturbed during liver fibrosis in humans. To understand the impact of BMAL1 perturbation in obesity and liver diseases, we assessed the impact of a high fat diet or leptin deficiency on Bmal1 knockout mice. While Bmal1 knockout mice were prone to obesity, they were protected against insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. In addition to direct transcriptional regulation of metabolic programs by BMAL1, we show that adaptation disruption of the growth hormone and sex hormone pathways plays a critical role in this protection. Similar endocrine perturbations correlate with the development of liver fibrosis in humans, but were absent in hepatocyte specific Bmal1 knockout mice. This suggestsing that systemic endocrine perturbation associated with circadian disruptionthe disruption of BMAL1 activity is critical for the pathogenesis of metabolic and liver diseases.
Project description:Obesity and liver diseases are associated with the disruption of the circadian clock that orchestrates mammalian physiology to optimize nutrient metabolism and storage. We show here that the activity of the circadian clock regulator BMAL1 is perturbed during liver fibrosis in humans. To understand the impact of BMAL1 perturbation in obesity and liver diseases, we assessed the impact of a high fat diet or leptin deficiency on Bmal1 knockout mice. While Bmal1 knockout mice were prone to obesity, they were protected against insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. In addition to direct transcriptional regulation of metabolic programs by BMAL1, we show that adaptation of the growth hormone and sex hormone pathways plays a critical role in this protection. Similar endocrine perturbations correlate with the development of liver fibrosis in humans, suggesting that endocrine perturbation associated with circadian disruption is critical for the pathogenesis of metabolic and liver diseases.
Project description:Purpose: To define the cone photoreceptor diversity and underlying transcriptional controls in mouse retina Methods: Individual retinal cone cells were isolated by micro-manipulator from dissociated pieces of superior/inferior retina from heterozygous (or homozygous) Thrb-b2Cre:Ai6 mice. Single cell libraries were constructed for RNA-seq analysis. Thrb-b2Cre;Rosa26-Sun1Gfp mice were used to isolate cone nuclei for ATAC-seq analysis. Thrb-HAB mice were used to identify TRb2 genomic binding sites using ChAP-seq analysis. Results: Developmental analyses of individual cones revealed a network of gradient genes. Many of these gradient genes are regulated by TRb2, a thyroid hormone receptor that has been associated with color visual impairment. Conclusions: The results suggest that TRb2 controls chromatin remodeling and transcriptional plasticity in the cone lineage to promote diversity.
Project description:The mammalian circadian clock is a molecular oscillator composed of a feedback loop that involves transcriptional activators CLOCK and BMAL1, and repressors Cryptochrome (CRY) and Period (PER). Here we show that a direct CLOCK-BMAL1 target gene, Gm129, is a novel regulator of the feedback loop. ChIP analysis revealed that the CLOCK:BMAL1:CRY1 complex strongly occupies the promoter region of Gm129. Both mRNA and protein levels of GM129 exhibit high amplitude circadian oscillations in mouse liver, and Gm129 gene encodes a nuclear-localized protein that directly interacts with BMAL1 and represses CLOCK:BMAL1 activity. In vitro and in vivo protein-DNA interaction results demonstrate that, like CRY1, GM129 functions as a repressor by binding to the CLOCK:BMAL1 complex on DNA. Although Gm129-/- or Cry1-/- Gm129-/- mice retain a robust circadian rhythm, the peaks of Nr1d1 and Dbp mRNAs in liver exhibit significant phase delay compared to control. Our results suggest that, in addition to CRYs and PERs, GM129 protein contributes to the transcriptional feedback loop by modulating CLOCK:BMAL1 activity as a transcriptional repressor. Examination of 3 transcriptional regulators in mouse liver
Project description:In mammals, circadian clocks are strictly suppressed during early embryonic stages as well as pluripotent stem cells, by the lack of CLOCK/BMAL1 mediated circadian feedback loops. During ontogenesis, the innate circadian clocks emerge gradually at a late developmental stage, then, with which the circadian temporal order is invested in each cell level throughout a body. Meanwhile, in the early developmental stage, a segmented body plan is essential for an intact developmental process and somitogenesis is controlled by another cell-autonomous oscillator, the segmentation clock, in the posterior presomitic mesoderm (PSM). In the present study, focusing upon the interaction between circadian key components and the segmentation clock, we investigated the effect of the CLOCK/BMAL1 on the segmentation clock Hes7 oscillation, revealing that the expression of functional CLOCK/BMAL1 severely interferes with the ultradian rhythm of segmentation clock in induced PSM and gastruloids. RNA sequencing analysis showed that the premature expression of CLOCK/BMAL1 affects the Hes7 transcription and its regulatory pathways. These results suggest that the suppression of CLOCK/BMAL1-mediated transcriptional regulation during the somitogenesis may be inevitable for intact mammalian development.