scholarly journals Resynchronization Dynamics Reveal that the Ventral Entrains the Dorsal Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie R. Taylor ◽  
Thomas J. Wang ◽  
Daniel Granados-Fuentes ◽  
Erik D. Herzog
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Clock ◽  
Computational Model ◽  
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ◽  
Computational Methods ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Daily Rhythms ◽  
Phase Amplitude ◽  
Cell Cell

Although the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) has long been considered the master circadian clock in mammals, the topology of the connections that synchronize daily rhythms among SCN cells is not well understood. We combined experimental and computational methods to infer the directed interactions that mediate circadian synchrony between regions of the SCN. We analyzed PERIOD2 (PER2) expression from SCN slices during and after treatment with tetrodotoxin, allowing us to map connections as cells resynchronized their daily cycling following blockade and restoration of cell-cell communication. Using automated analyses, we found that cells in the dorsal SCN stabilized their periods slower than those in the ventral SCN. A phase-amplitude computational model of the SCN revealed that, to reproduce the experimental results: (1) the ventral SCN had to be more densely connected than the dorsal SCN and (2) the ventral SCN needed strong connections to the dorsal SCN. Taken together, these results provide direct evidence that the ventral SCN entrains the dorsal SCN in constant conditions.

scholarly journals A Catalog of GAL4 Drivers for Labeling and Manipulating Circadian Clock Neurons in Drosophila melanogaster

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manabu Sekiguchi ◽  
Kotaro Inoue ◽  
Tian Yang ◽  
Dong-Gen Luo ◽  
Taishi Yoshii
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Circadian Clock ◽  
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ◽  
Daily Rhythms ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Central Clock ◽  
And Behavior

Daily rhythms of physiology, metabolism, and behavior are orchestrated by a central circadian clock. In mice, this clock is coordinated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which consists of 20,000 neurons, making it challenging to characterize individual neurons. In Drosophila, the clock is controlled by only 150 clock neurons that distribute across the fly’s brain. Here, we describe a comprehensive set of genetic drivers to facilitate individual characterization of Drosophila clock neurons. We screened GAL4 lines that were obtained from Drosophila stock centers and identified 63 lines that exhibit expression in subsets of central clock neurons. Furthermore, we generated split-GAL4 lines that exhibit specific expression in subsets of clock neurons such as the 2 DN2 neurons and the 6 LPN neurons. Together with existing driver lines, these newly identified ones are versatile tools that will facilitate a better understanding of the Drosophila central circadian clock.

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