QUASIMODO, a novel GPI-anchored zona pellucida protein involved in light input to the Drosophila circadian clock

0367836 - BC 2012 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Chen, K. F. - Peschel, N. - Závodská, Radka - Sehadová, Hana - Stanewsky, R.
QUASIMODO, a novel GPI-anchored zona pellucida protein involved in light input to the Drosophila circadian clock.
Current Biology. Roč. 21, č. 9 (2011), s. 719-729. ISSN 0960-9822. E-ISSN 1879-0445
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LC07032
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508
Keywords : QUASIMODO * Drosophila * circadian clock
Subject RIV: ED - Physiology
Impact factor: 9.647, year: 2011

We identified a novel clock-controlled gene (quasimodo), which encodes a light-responsive and membrane-anchored Zona Pellucida domain protein that supports light-dependent TIM degradation. Whereas wild type flies become arrhythmic in constant light (LL), quasimodo mutants elicit rhythmic expression of clock proteins and behavior in LL. QUASIMODO can function independently of CRY and is predominantly expressed within the CRY-negative DN3 clock neurons. Interestingly, downregulation of qsm in the clock circuit restores LL PERIOD protein rhythms in the qsm-negative DN1, indicating that qsm-mediated light-input is not cell-autonomous and can be accessed by the clock circuit. Our findings indicate that QUASIMODO constitutes part of a novel light-input to the circadian clock. Its light-responsive character in conjunction with the predicted localization at the outer neuronal membrane, suggests that QUASIMODO function is linked to electrical properties of clock neurons.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0202375