Open AccessPER-TIM Interactions with the Photoreceptor Cryptochrome Mediate Circadian Temperature Responses in Drosophila
Author(s) -
Rachna Kaushik,
Pipat Nawathean,
Ania Busza,
Alejandro D. Murad,
Patrick Emery,
Michael Rosbash
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
plos biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.127
H-Index - 271
eISSN - 1545-7885
pISSN - 1544-9173
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pbio.0050146
Subject(s) - cryptochrome , circadian rhythm , biology , timeless , circadian clock , mutant , microbiology and biotechnology , period (music) , drosophila (subgenus) , genetics , biophysics , neuroscience , gene , acoustics , physics
Drosophila cryptochrome (CRY) is a key circadian photoreceptor that interacts with the period and timeless proteins (PER and TIM) in a light-dependent manner. We show here that a heat pulse also mediates this interaction, and heat-induced phase shifts are severely reduced in the cryptochrome loss-of-function mutant cry b . The period mutant per L manifests a comparable CRY dependence and dramatically enhanced temperature sensitivity of biochemical interactions and behavioral phase shifting. Remarkably, CRY is also critical for most of the abnormal temperature compensation of per L flies, because a per L ; cry b strain manifests nearly normal temperature compensation. Finally, light and temperature act together to affect rhythms in wild-type flies. The results indicate a role for CRY in circadian temperature as well as light regulation and suggest that these two features of the external 24-h cycle normally act together to dictate circadian phase.