Distinct Phase Relationships between Suprachiasmatic Molecular Rhythms, Cerebral Cortex Molecular Rhythms, and Behavioral Rhythms in Early Runner (CAST/EiJ) and Nocturnal (C57BL/6J) Mice

We have previously established that CAST/EiJ (CAST) mice differ from normal mice, such as C57BL/6J (B6), in the timing of wheel-running onset relative to light/dark cycles. These mice provide an animal model for studies of the genetic and neurobiological basis for circadian phase misalignment in humans. Neither differences in endogenous circadian period nor the shape of the photic phase response curve explain the difference in the timing of activity onset between CAST and B6 mice, suggesting a mechanism downstream of the circadian clock. Here, we further test the hypothesis that the two strains differ with respect to circadian oscillations at the molecular level.