CLOCKWORK ORANGE promotes CLOCK-CYCLE activation via the Drosophila ortholog of CLOCK INTERACING PROTEIN, CIRCADIAN (RNA-Seq)
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ABSTRACT: The Drosophila circadian clock is driven by a transcriptional feedback loop in which the bHLH transcription factor CLOCK-CYCLE (CLK-CYC) binds E-boxes to transcribe genes encoding the PERIOD-TIMELESS (PER-TIM) repressor, which releases CLK-CYC from E-boxes to inhibit transcription. The bHLH-Orange transcription factor CLOCKWORK ORANGE (CWO) reinforces repression by binding E-boxes to displace CLK-CYC, but also acts through an unknown mechanism to promote CLK-CYC transcription. To determine how CWO activates CLK-CYC transcription, we identified CWO DNA binding targets that are upregulated in the absence of CWO repression, conserved in mammals and preferentially expressed in brain pacemaker neurons. Among the genes identified was the Drosophila ortholog of mammalian Clock Interacting Protein Circadian (Cipc) that acts to repress CLOCK-BMAL1 transcription. Reducing or eliminating Drosophila Cipc expression shortens circadian period while overexpressing Cipc lengthens circadian period in flies, consistent with previous analysis showing that Drosophila Cipc represses CLK-CYC transcription in S2 cell culture. Long period rhythms of cwo mutant flies are largely rescued when Cipc expression is reduced or eliminated, indicating that increased Cipc expression mediates period lengthening of cwo mutants. These results suggest a mechanism for CWO-dependent CLK-CYC activation: CWO inhibition of CIPC repression promotes CLK-CYC transcription. Such a mechanism may be conserved given that orthologs of cwo and Cipc carry out analogous roles in the mammalian circadian clock.
ORGANISM(S): Drosophila melanogaster
PROVIDER: GSE165043 | GEO | 2021/07/23
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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