Post-transcriptional control of circadian rhythms

Circadian control of fatty acid elongation by SIRT1 protein-mediated deacetylation of acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase 1

The circadian clock regulates a wide range of physiological and metabolic processes, and its disruption leads to metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. Accumulating evidence reveals that the circadian clock regulates levels of metabolites that, in turn, may regulate the clock. Here we demonstrate that the circadian clock regulates the intracellular levels of acetyl-CoA by modulating the enzymatic activity of acetyl-CoA Synthetase 1 (AceCS1). Acetylation of AceCS1 controls the activity of the enzyme. We show that acetylation of AceCS1 is cyclic and that its rhythmicity requires a functional circadian clock and the NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase SIRT1. Cyclic acetylation of AceCS1 contributes to the rhythmicity of acetyl-CoA levels both in vivo and in cultured cells. Down-regulation of AceCS1 causes a significant decrease in the cellular acetyl-CoA pool, leading to reduction in circadian changes in fatty acid elongation. Thus, a nontranscriptional, enzymatic loop is governed by the circadian clock to control acetyl-CoA levels and fatty acid synthesis.

AUF1 contributes to Cryptochrome1 mRNA degradation and rhythmic translation

In the present study, we investigated the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the mouse core clock gene cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) at the post-transcriptional level, particularly its translational regulation. Interestingly, the 3'UTR of Cry1 mRNA decreased its mRNA levels but increased protein amounts. The 3'UTR is widely known to function as a cis-acting element of mRNA degradation. The 3'UTR also provides a binding site for microRNA and mainly suppresses translation of target mRNAs. We found that AU-rich element RNA binding protein 1 (AUF1) directly binds to the Cry1 3'UTR and regulates translation of Cry1 mRNA. AUF1 interacted with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 subunit B and also directly associated with ribosomal protein S3 or ribosomal protein S14, resulting in translation of Cry1 mRNA in a 3'UTR-dependent manner. Expression of cytoplasmic AUF1 and binding of AUF1 to the Cry1 3'UTR were parallel to the circadian CRY1 protein profile. Our results suggest that the 3'UTR of Cry1 is important for its rhythmic translation, and AUF1 bound to the 3'UTR facilitates interaction with the 5' end of mRNA by interacting with translation initiation factors and recruiting the 40S ribosomal subunit to initiate translation of Cry1 mRNA.

In-vivo quantitative proteomics reveals a key contribution of post-transcriptional mechanisms to the circadian regulation of liver metabolism

Circadian clocks are endogenous oscillators that drive the rhythmic expression of a broad array of genes, orchestrating metabolism and physiology. Recent evidence indicates that post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms play essential roles in modulating temporal gene expression for proper circadian function, particularly for the molecular mechanism of the clock. Due to technical limitations in large-scale, quantitative protein measurements, it remains unresolved to what extent the circadian clock regulates metabolism by driving rhythms of protein abundance. Therefore, we aimed to identify global circadian oscillations of the proteome in the mouse liver by applying in vivo SILAC mouse technology in combination with state of the art mass spectrometry. Among the 3000 proteins accurately quantified across two consecutive cycles, 6% showed circadian oscillations with a defined phase of expression. Interestingly, daily rhythms of one fifth of the liver proteins were not accompanied by changes at the transcript level. The oscillations of almost half of the cycling proteome were delayed by more than six hours with respect to the corresponding, rhythmic mRNA. Strikingly we observed that the length of the time lag between mRNA and protein cycles varies across the day. Our analysis revealed a high temporal coordination in the abundance of proteins involved in the same metabolic process, such as xenobiotic detoxification. Apart from liver specific metabolic pathways, we identified many other essential cellular processes in which protein levels are under circadian control, for instance vesicle trafficking and protein folding. Our large-scale proteomic analysis reveals thus that circadian post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms play a key role in the temporal orchestration of liver metabolism and physiology.

The circadian clock is an evolutionary system that allows organisms to anticipate and thus adapt to daily changes in the environment. In mammals, the circadian clock is found in virtually every tissue regulating rhythms of metabolism and physiology. While a lot of studies have focused in how circadian clocks regulate gene expression little is known about daily control of protein abundance. Here we applied state of the art mass spectrometry in combination with quantitative proteomics to investigate global circadian oscillations of the proteome in the mouse liver. We found that approximately 6% of the liver proteins are cycling daily and interestingly the majority of these oscillations diverge from the behavior of their transcripts. Our data indicates that post-transcriptional mechanisms play an essential role in shaping the phase of rhythmic proteins downstream of transcription regulation to ultimately drive rhythms of metabolism. Moreover, the contribution of post-transcriptional regulation seems to differ among distinct metabolic pathways. Overall we not only found circadian oscillations in the abundance of proteins involved in liver specific metabolic pathways but also in essential cellular processes.

The RIPper case: identification of RNA-binding protein targets by RNA immunoprecipitation

Control at the posttranscriptional level emerges as an important layer of regulation in the circadian timing system. RNA-binding proteins that specifically interact with cis-regulatory motifs within pre-mRNAs are key elements of this regulation. While the ability to interact with RNA in vitro has been demonstrated for numerous Arabidopsis RNA-binding proteins, a full understanding of posttranscriptional networks controlled by an RNA-binding protein requires the identification of its immediate in vivo targets. Here we describe differential RNA immunoprecipitation in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing RNA-binding protein variants epitope-tagged with green fluorescent protein. To control for RNAs that nonspecifically co-purify with the RNA-binding protein, transgenic plants are generated with a mutated version of the RNA-binding protein that is not capable of binding to its target RNAs. The RNA-binding protein variants are expressed under the control of their authentic promoter and cis-regulatory motifs. Incubation of the plants with formaldehyde in vivo cross-links the proteins to their RNA targets. A whole-cell extract is then prepared and subjected to immunoprecipitation with an antibody against the GFP tag and to mock precipitation with an antibody against the unrelated red fluorescent protein. The RNAs coprecipitating with the proteins are eluted from the immunoprecipitate and identified via reverse transcription-PCR.

Metabolic and nontranscriptional circadian clocks: eukaryotes

Circadian clocks are cellular timekeeping mechanisms that coordinate behavior and physiology around the 24-h day in most living organisms. Misalignment of an organism's clock with its environment is associated with long-term adverse fitness consequences, as exemplified by the link between circadian disruption and various age-related diseases in humans. Current eukaryotic models of the circadian oscillator rely on transcription/translation feedback loop mechanisms, supplemented with accessory cytosolic loops that connect them to cellular physiology. However, mounting evidence is questioning the absolute necessity of transcription-based oscillators for circadian rhythmicity, supported by the recent discovery of oxidation-reduction cycles of peroxiredoxin proteins, which persist even in the absence of transcription. A more fundamental mechanism based on metabolic cycles could thus underlie circadian transcriptional and cytosolic rhythms, thereby promoting circadian oscillations to integral properties of cellular metabolism.

Circadian clock-dependent and -independent rhythmic proteomes implement distinct diurnal functions in mouse liver

Diurnal oscillations of gene expression controlled by the circadian clock underlie rhythmic physiology across most living organisms. Although such rhythms have been extensively studied at the level of transcription and mRNA accumulation, little is known about the accumulation patterns of proteins. Here, we quantified temporal profiles in the murine hepatic proteome under physiological light-dark conditions using stable isotope labeling by amino acids quantitative MS. Our analysis identified over 5,000 proteins, of which several hundred showed robust diurnal oscillations with peak phases enriched in the morning and during the night and related to core hepatic physiological functions. Combined mathematical modeling of temporal protein and mRNA profiles indicated that proteins accumulate with reduced amplitudes and significant delays, consistent with protein half-life data. Moreover, a group comprising about one-half of the rhythmic proteins showed no corresponding rhythmic mRNAs, indicating significant translational or posttranslational diurnal control. Such rhythms were highly enriched in secreted proteins accumulating tightly during the night. Also, these rhythms persisted in clock-deficient animals subjected to rhythmic feeding, suggesting that food-related entrainment signals influence rhythms in circulating plasma factors.

Dicer expression exhibits a tissue-specific diurnal pattern that is lost during aging and in diabetes

Dysregulation of circadian rhythmicity is identified as a key factor in disease pathogenesis. Circadian rhythmicity is controlled at both a transcriptional and post-transcriptional level suggesting the role of microRNA (miRNA) and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in this process. Endonuclease Dicer controls miRNA and dsRNA processing, however the role of Dicer in circadian regulation is not known. Here we demonstrate robust diurnal oscillations of Dicer expression in central and peripheral clock control systems including suprachiasmatic nucleolus (SCN), retina, liver, and bone marrow (BM). The Dicer oscillations were either reduced or phase shifted with aging and Type 2 diabetes. The decrease and phase shift of Dicer expression was associated with a similar decrease and phase shift of miRNAs 146a and 125a-5p and with an increase in toxic Alu RNA. Restoring Dicer levels and the diurnal patterns of Dicer-controlled miRNA and RNA expression may provide new therapeutic strategies for metabolic disease and aging-associated complications.

The circadian clock and glucocorticoids--interactions across many time scales

Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones of the adrenal gland that are an integral component of the stress response and regulate many physiological processes, including metabolism and immune response. Their release into the blood is highly dynamic and occurs in about hourly pulses, the amplitude of which is modulated in a daytime dependent fashion. In addition, in many species seasonal changes in basal glucocorticoid levels have been reported. In their target tissues, glucocorticoids bind to cytoplasmic receptors of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Upon binding, these receptors regulate transcription in a highly dynamic fashion, which involves stochastic binding to regulatory DNA elements on a time scale of seconds and heat shock protein mediated receptor-ligand complex recycling within minutes. The glucocorticoid hormone system interacts with another highly dynamic system, the circadian clock. The circadian clock is an endogenous biological timing mechanism that allows organisms to anticipate regular daily changes in their environment. It regulates daily rhythms of glucocorticoid release by a variety of mechanisms, modulates glucocorticoid signaling and is itself influenced by glucocorticoids. Here, we discuss mechanisms, functions and interactions of the circadian and glucocorticoid systems across time scales ranging from seconds (DNA binding by transcriptional regulators) to years (seasonal rhythms).

Emerging roles for post-transcriptional regulation in circadian clocks

Circadian clocks temporally organize behavior and physiology across the 24-h day. Great progress has been made in understanding the molecular basis of timekeeping, with a focus on transcriptional feedback networks that are post-translationally modulated. Yet emerging evidence indicates an important role for post-transcriptional regulation, from splicing, polyadenylation and mRNA stability to translation and non-coding functions exemplified by microRNAs. This level of regulation affects virtually all aspects of circadian systems, from the core timing mechanism and input pathways that synchronize clocks to the environment and output pathways that control overt rhythmicity. We hypothesize that post-transcriptional control confers on circadian clocks enhanced robustness as well as the ability to adapt to different environments. As much of what is known derives from nonneural cells or tissues, future work will be required to investigate the role of post-transcriptional regulation in neural clocks.

Cold-induced RNA-binding proteins regulate circadian gene expression by controlling alternative polyadenylation

The body temperature is considered a universal cue by which the master clock synchronizes the peripheral clocks in mammals, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Here we identified two cold-induced RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), Cirbp and Rbm3, as important regulators for the temperature entrained circadian gene expression. The depletion of Cirbp or Rbm3 significantly reduced the amplitudes of core circadian genes. PAR-CLIP analyses showed that the 3′UTR binding sites of Cirbp and Rbm3 were significantly enriched near the polyadenylation sites (PASs). Furthermore, the depletion of Cirbp or Rbm3 shortened 3′UTR, whereas low temperature (upregulating Cirbp and Rbm3) lengthened 3′UTR. Remarkably, we found that they repressed the usage of proximal PASs by binding to the common 3′UTR, and many cases of proximal/distal PAS selection regulated by them showed strong circadian oscillations. Our results suggested that Cirbp and Rbm3 regulated the circadian gene expression by controlling alternative polyadenylation (APA).

MicroRNAs and metabolism crosstalk in energy homeostasis

In record time, microRNAs (miRNAs) have acquired the respected stature of important natural regulators of global gene expression. Multiple studies have demonstrated that a large number of miRNAs are under the control of various metabolic stimuli, including nutrients, hormones, and cytokines. Conversely, it is now well recognized that miRNAs control metabolism, thereby generating a bidirectional functional link, which perturbs energy homeostasis in case of disconnection in the miRNA-metabolism interplay. A challenging road lies ahead for defining the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of diseases such as diabetes and for establishing their usefulness as new medications and clinically reliable biomarkers.

Effects of ovarian hormones on internal circadian organization in rats

The circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is the central pacemaker driving rhythms in endocrine physiology. Gonadal steroid hormones affect behavioral rhythms and clock gene expression. However, the impact of fluctuating ovarian steroid levels during the estrous cycle on internal circadian organization remains to be determined. Further, it is not known if steroid hormone depletion, as in menopause, affects the timing system. To determine the influence of estrous cycle stage and steroid depletion on circadian organization, we measured clock gene expression in the SCN and peripheral tissues from cycling and ovariectomized (OVX) period1-luciferase (per1-luc) transgenic rats. The estrous cycle had modest effects on mean phase and phase distribution of per1-luc expression in the SCN. Surprisingly, peak per1-luc expression in the SCN was widely distributed mainly at night, regardless of cycle stage, an effect eliminated by OVX. Treatment of SCN tissue explants with ovarian steroids did not significantly affect per1-luc expression, suggesting that brain regions outside the SCN mediate the phasic effects of steroids. Our data demonstrate that estrous cycle stage has tissue-dependent effects on the phase of per1-luc expression, phase synchrony among oscillators, and the phase relationship between some peripheral clocks and the light-dark cycle. They also reveal that steroid hormone depletion following OVX alters the timing system, suggesting that the decline in hormone levels, common during the transition to menopause, may be associated with irregular internal circadian organization. This effect on the timing system could contribute to the behavioral and physiological changes associated with this transition.

Pharmacological modulators of the circadian clock as potential therapeutic drugs: focus on genotoxic/anticancer therapy

The circadian clock is an evolutionary conserved intrinsic timekeeping mechanism that controls daily variations in multiple biological processes. One important process that is modulated by the circadian clock is an organism's response to genotoxic stress, such as that induced by anticancer drug and radiation treatments. Numerous observations made in animal models have convincingly demonstrated that drug-induced toxicity displays prominent daily variations; therefore, undesirable side effects could be significantly reduced by administration of drugs at specific times when they are better tolerated. In some cases, these critical times of the day coincide with increased sensitivity of tumor cells allowing for a greater therapeutic index. Despite encouraging results of chronomodulated therapies, our knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying these observations remains sketchy. Here we review recent progress in deciphering mechanistic links between circadian and stress response pathways with a focus on how these findings could be applied to anticancer clinical practice. We discuss the potential for using high-throughput screens to identify small molecules that can modulate basic parameters of the entire circadian machinery as well as functional activity of its individual components. We also describe the discovery of several small molecules that can pharmacologically modulate clock and that have a potential to be developed into therapeutic drugs. We believe that translational applications of clock-targeting pharmaceuticals are twofold: they may be developed into drugs to treat circadian-related disorders or used in combination with existing therapeutic strategies to improve therapeutic index of a given genotoxic treatment via the intrinsic clock mechanism.

Adaptation of molecular circadian clockwork to environmental changes: a role for alternative splicing and miRNAs

Circadian (24 h) clocks provide a source of internal timing in most living organisms. These clocks keep time by using complex transcriptional/post-translational feedback loops that are strikingly resilient to changes in environmental conditions. In the last few years, interest has increased in the role of post-transcriptional regulation of circadian clock components. Post-transcriptional control plays a prominent role in modulating rapid responses of the circadian system to environmental changes, including light, temperature and general stress and will be the focus of this review.

Posttranscriptional regulation of PER1 underlies the oncogenic function of IREα

Growing evidence supports a role for the unfolded protein response (UPR) in carcinogenesis; however, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. Herein, we identified the circadian clock PER1 mRNA as a novel substrate of the endoribonuclease activity of the UPR sensor IRE1α. Analysis of the mechanism shows that IRE1α endoribonuclease activity decreased PER1 mRNA in tumor cells without affecting PER1 gene transcription. Inhibition of IRE1α signaling using either siRNA-mediated silencing or a dominant-negative strategy prevented PER1 mRNA decay, reduced tumorigenesis, and increased survival, features that were reversed upon PER1 silencing. Clinically, patients showing reduced survival have lower levels of PER1 mRNA expression and increased splicing of XBP1, a known IRE-α substrate, thereby pointing toward an increased IRE1α activity in these patients. Hence, we describe a novel mechanism connecting the UPR and circadian clock components in tumor cells, thereby highlighting the importance of this interplay in tumor development.

ATAXIN-2 activates PERIOD translation to sustain circadian rhythms in Drosophila

Evidence for transcriptional feedback in circadian timekeeping is abundant, yet little is known about the mechanisms underlying translational control. We found that ATAXIN-2 (ATX2), an RNA-associated protein involved in neurodegenerative disease, is a translational activator of the rate-limiting clock component PERIOD (PER) in Drosophila. ATX2 specifically interacted with TWENTY-FOUR (TYF), an activator of PER translation. RNA interference-mediated depletion of Atx2 or the expression of a mutant ATX2 protein that does not associate with polyadenylate-binding protein (PABP) suppressed behavioral rhythms and decreased abundance of PER. Although ATX2 can repress translation, depletion of Atx2 from Drosophila S2 cells inhibited translational activation by RNA-tethered TYF and disrupted the association between TYF and PABP. Thus, ATX2 coordinates an active translation complex important for PER expression and circadian rhythms.

Role of miR-142-3p in the post-transcriptional regulation of the clock gene Bmal1 in the mouse SCN

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional modulators by regulating stability or translation of target mRNAs. Recent studies have implicated miRNAs in the regulation of mammalian circadian rhythms. To explore the role of miRNAs in the post-transcriptional modulation of core clock genes in the master circadian pacemaker, we examined miR-142-3p for evidence of circadian expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), regulation of its putative clock gene target Bmal1 via specific binding sites in the 3' UTR and overexpression-induced changes in the circadian rhythm of BMAL1 protein levels in SCN cells. In mice exposed to constant darkness (DD), miR-142-3p levels in the SCN were characterized by circadian rhythmicity with peak expression during early subjective day at CT 3. Mutagenesis studies indicate that two independent miRNA recognition elements located at nucleotides 1-7 and 335-357 contribute equally to miR-142-3p-induced repression of luciferase-reported Bmal1 3' UTR activity. Importantly, overexpression of miR-142-3p in immortalized SCN cells abolished circadian variation in endogenous BMAL1 protein levels in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that miR-142-3p may play a role in the post-transcriptional modulation of Bmal1 and its oscillatory regulation in molecular feedback loops mediating SCN circadian function.

MicroRNA-185 oscillation controls circadian amplitude of mouse Cryptochrome 1 via translational regulation

The role of the 3′-untranslated region of the mouse Cryptochrome 1 (mCry1) gene is studied at the posttranscriptional level. The results suggest that miR-185 plays a role in the fine-tuned regulation of mCRY1 protein expression by controlling the rhythmicity of mCry1 mRNA translation.

Mammalian circadian rhythm is observed not only at the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a master pacemaker, but also throughout the peripheral tissues. Investigation of the regulation of clock gene expression has mainly focused on transcriptional and posttranslational modifications, and little is known about the posttranscriptional regulation of these genes. In the present study, we investigate the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the posttranscriptional regulation of the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of the mouse Cryptochrome 1 (mCry1) gene. Knockdown of Drosha, Dicer, or Argonaute2 increased mCry1-3′UTR reporter activity. The presence of the miRNA recognition element of mCry1 that is important for miR-185 binding decreased mCRY1 protein, but not mRNA, level. Cytoplasmic miR-185 levels were nearly antiphase to mCRY1 protein levels. Furthermore, miR-185 knockdown elevated the amplitude of mCRY1 protein oscillation. Our results suggest that miR-185 plays a role in the fine-tuned regulation of mCRY1 protein expression by controlling the rhythmicity of mCry1 mRNA translation.

Ribonucleoprotein complexes that control circadian clocks

Circadian clocks are internal molecular time-keeping mechanisms that enable organisms to adjust their physiology and behavior to the daily surroundings. Misalignment of circadian clocks leads to both physiological and health impairment. Post-transcriptional regulation and translational regulation of circadian clocks have been extensively investigated. In addition, accumulating evidence has shed new light on the involvement of ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) in the post-transcriptional regulation of circadian clocks. Numerous RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and RNPs have been implicated in the post-transcriptional modification of circadian clock proteins in different model organisms. Herein, we summarize the advances in the current knowledge on the role of RNP complexes in circadian clock regulation.

Beyond Arabidopsis: the circadian clock in non-model plant species

Circadian clocks allow plants to temporally coordinate many aspects of their biology with the diurnal cycle derived from the rotation of Earth on its axis. Although there is a rich history of the study of clocks in many plant species, in recent years much progress in elucidating the architecture and function of the plant clock has emerged from studies of the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. There is considerable interest in extending this knowledge of the circadian clock into diverse plant species in order to address its role in topics as varied as agricultural productivity and the responses of individual species and plant communities to global climate change and environmental degradation. The analysis of circadian clocks in the green lineage provides insight into evolutionary processes in plants and throughout the eukaryotes.

The ticking tail: daily oscillations in mRNA poly(A) tail length drive circadian cycles in protein synthesis

In this issue of Genes & Development, Kojima and colleagues (pp. 2724-2736) examined the impact of mRNA poly(A) tail length on circadian gene expression. Their study demonstrates how dynamic changes in transcript poly(A) tail length can lead to rhythmic protein expression, irrespective of whether mRNA accumulation is circadian or constitutive.

Connecting cellular metabolism to circadian clocks

The circadian clock is a cellular timekeeping mechanism that helps organisms to organize their behaviour and physiology around daily alternations of days and nights. In humans, misalignment of an individual's internal clock with its environment is associated with adverse health consequences, including metabolic disorders and cancers. In current models of the eukaryotic circadian oscillator, transcription/translation feedback loops (TTFLs) are considered the prime mechanism sustaining intracellular rhythms. The discovery of many cytosolic loops has extended the TTFL model by embedding it in cellular physiology. Recently, however, several studies have revealed metabolic rhythms that are independent of transcription, questioning the TTFL model as the sole cellular timekeeping mechanism. Thus, the time has come to carefully reassess these models of the clockwork in a broad cellular context to integrate its genetic, cytosolic, and metabolic components.

Genome-wide RNA polymerase II profiles and RNA accumulation reveal kinetics of transcription and associated epigenetic changes during diurnal cycles

Genome-wide rhythms in RNA polymerase II loading and dynamic chromatin remodeling underlie periodic gene expression during diurnal cycles in the mouse liver.

Interactions of cell-autonomous circadian oscillators with diurnal cycles govern the temporal compartmentalization of cell physiology in mammals. To understand the transcriptional and epigenetic basis of diurnal rhythms in mouse liver genome-wide, we generated temporal DNA occupancy profiles by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) as well as profiles of the histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. We used these data to quantify the relationships of phases and amplitudes between different marks. We found that rhythmic Pol II recruitment at promoters rather than rhythmic transition from paused to productive elongation underlies diurnal gene transcription, a conclusion further supported by modeling. Moreover, Pol II occupancy preceded mRNA accumulation by 3 hours, consistent with mRNA half-lives. Both methylation marks showed that the epigenetic landscape is highly dynamic and globally remodeled during the 24-hour cycle. While promoters of transcribed genes had tri-methylated H3K4 even at their trough activity times, tri-methylation levels reached their peak, on average, 1 hour after Pol II. Meanwhile, rhythms in tri-methylation of H3K36 lagged transcription by 3 hours. Finally, modeling profiles of Pol II occupancy and mRNA accumulation identified three classes of genes: one showing rhythmicity both in transcriptional and mRNA accumulation, a second class with rhythmic transcription but flat mRNA levels, and a third with constant transcription but rhythmic mRNAs. The latter class emphasizes widespread temporally gated posttranscriptional regulation in the mouse liver.

In mammalian organs such as the liver, many metabolic and physiological processes occur preferentially at specific times during the 24-hour daily cycle. The timing of these rhythmic functions depends on a complex interplay between the endogenous circadian clock and environmental timing cues relayed through the master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or via feeding rhythms. These rhythms can be implemented on several regulatory levels, and here we aimed at a better understanding of the transcriptional and epigenetic changes that regulate diurnal rhythms. We performed genome-wide analysis of the locations of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and the epigenetic histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 at specific times of day, relating these data to mRNA expression levels. Our analyses show that Pol II transcriptional rhythms are biphasic in mouse liver, having predominant peak activities in the morning and evening. Moreover, dynamic changes in histone marks lag transcription rhythms genome-wide, indicating that the epigenetic landscape can be remodeled during the 24-hour cycle. Finally, a quantitative analysis of temporal Pol II and mRNA accumulation profiles indicates that posttranscriptional regulation significantly contributes to the amplitude and phase of mRNA accumulation profiles. While many studies have analyzed how transcription and chromatin states are modified during irreversible cell differentiation processes, our work highlights how these states can evolve reversibly in a system exhibiting periodicity in time.

Small molecule modifiers of circadian clocks

Circadian clocks orchestrate 24-h oscillations of essential physiological and behavioral processes in response to daily environmental changes. These clocks are remarkably precise under constant conditions yet highly responsive to resetting signals. With the molecular composition of the core oscillator largely established, recent research has increasingly focused on clock-modifying mechanisms/molecules. In particular, small molecule modifiers, intrinsic or extrinsic, are emerging as powerful tools for understanding basic clock biology as well as developing putative therapeutic agents for clock-associated diseases. In this review, we will focus on synthetic compounds capable of modifying the period, phase, or amplitude of circadian clocks, with particular emphasis on the mammalian clock. We will discuss the potential of exploiting these small molecule modifiers in both basic and translational research.

Novel interaction of two clock-relevant RNA-binding proteins C3 and XRN1 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The RNA-binding protein CHLAMY1 of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii consists of two subunits, named C1 and C3 that maintain the period and phase of the circadian clock. Here, we investigated if any of its subunits interact with other clock components involved in RNA metabolism. We found that C3, but not C1 strongly interacts with exoribonuclease XRN1 whose knockout results in low amplitude rhythms. XRN1 is subject to degradation by the proteasome pathway. Its level increases in cells grown at lower ambient temperature simulating night, which was also observed for C3. Our data indicate a network of clock-relevant RNA-binding proteins.

Nascent-Seq reveals novel features of mouse circadian transcriptional regulation

A substantial fraction of the metazoan transcriptome undergoes circadian oscillations in many cells and tissues. Based on the transcription feedback loops important for circadian timekeeping, it is commonly assumed that this mRNA cycling reflects widespread transcriptional regulation. To address this issue, we directly measured the circadian dynamics of mouse liver transcription using Nascent-Seq (genome-wide sequencing of nascent RNA). Although many genes are rhythmically transcribed, many rhythmic mRNAs manifest poor transcriptional rhythms, indicating a prominent contribution of post-transcriptional regulation to circadian mRNA expression. This analysis of rhythmic transcription also showed that the rhythmic DNA binding profile of the transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1 does not determine the transcriptional phase of most target genes. This likely reflects gene-specific collaborations of CLK:BMAL1 with other transcription factors. These insights from Nascent-Seq indicate that it should have broad applicability to many other gene expression regulatory issues.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00011.001.

Nascent-Seq reveals novel features of mouse circadian transcriptional regulation

A substantial fraction of the metazoan transcriptome undergoes circadian oscillations in many cells and tissues. Based on the transcription feedback loops important for circadian timekeeping, it is commonly assumed that this mRNA cycling reflects widespread transcriptional regulation. To address this issue, we directly measured the circadian dynamics of mouse liver transcription using Nascent-Seq (genome-wide sequencing of nascent RNA). Although many genes are rhythmically transcribed, many rhythmic mRNAs manifest poor transcriptional rhythms, indicating a prominent contribution of post-transcriptional regulation to circadian mRNA expression. This analysis of rhythmic transcription also showed that the rhythmic DNA binding profile of the transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1 does not determine the transcriptional phase of most target genes. This likely reflects gene-specific collaborations of CLK:BMAL1 with other transcription factors. These insights from Nascent-Seq indicate that it should have broad applicability to many other gene expression regulatory issues.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00011.001.

Micro-managing the circadian clock: The role of microRNAs in biological timekeeping

Evolved under the selective pressures of a 24-h world, circadian timekeeping mechanisms are present in virtually all living organisms to coordinate daily rhythms in physiology and behavior. Until recently, the circadian clock was modeled as simple, interlocked transcription-translation feedback loops driving rhythms in gene expression of a handful of core clock genes. However, it has become evident that circadian clock regulation is immensely more complex than once thought and involves posttranscriptional, translational and posttranslational mechanisms. In particular, there has been a growing awareness of the vital role played by microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating various aspects of circadian clock function. In this review, we will summarize our current knowledge of miRNA-dependent regulation of the circadian timing system in multiple organisms, including flies, mammals and higher plants. We will also discuss future perspectives for research on the role of miRNAs and noncoding RNAs in circadian regulation of health and disease.

Transcriptional architecture and chromatin landscape of the core circadian clock in mammals

The mammalian circadian clock involves a transcriptional feed back loop in which CLOCK and BMAL1 activate the Period and Cryptochrome genes, which then feedback and repress their own transcription. We have interrogated the transcriptional architecture of the circadian transcriptional regulatory loop on a genome scale in mouse liver and find a stereotyped, time-dependent pattern of transcription factor binding, RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) recruitment, RNA expression, and chromatin states. We find that the circadian transcriptional cycle of the clock consists of three distinct phases: a poised state, a coordinated de novo transcriptional activation state, and a repressed state. Only 22% of messenger RNA (mRNA) cycling genes are driven by de novo transcription, suggesting that both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms underlie the mammalian circadian clock. We also find that circadian modulation of RNAPII recruitment and chromatin remodeling occurs on a genome-wide scale far greater than that seen previously by gene expression profiling.

Mutation of Arabidopsis spliceosomal timekeeper locus1 causes circadian clock defects

The circadian clock plays a crucial role in coordinating plant metabolic and physiological functions with predictable environmental variables, such as dusk and dawn, while also modulating responses to biotic and abiotic challenges. Much of the initial characterization of the circadian system has focused on transcriptional initiation, but it is now apparent that considerable regulation is exerted after this key regulatory step. Transcript processing, protein stability, and cofactor availability have all been reported to influence circadian rhythms in a variety of species. We used a genetic screen to identify a mutation within a putative RNA binding protein (spliceosomal timekeeper locus1 [STIPL1]) that induces a long circadian period phenotype under constant conditions. STIPL1 is a homolog of the spliceosomal proteins TFP11 (Homo sapiens) and Ntr1p (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) involved in spliceosome disassembly. Analysis of general and alternative splicing using a high-resolution RT-PCR system revealed that mutation of this protein causes less efficient splicing of most but not all of the introns analyzed. In particular, the altered accumulation of circadian-associated transcripts may contribute to the observed mutant phenotype. Interestingly, mutation of a close homolog of STIPL1, STIP-LIKE2, does not cause a circadian phenotype, which suggests divergence in function between these family members. Our work highlights the importance of posttranscriptional control within the clock mechanism.

Clock-controlled mir-142-3p can target its activator, Bmal1

Background

microRNAs (miRNAs) are shown to be involved in the regulation of circadian clock. However, it remains largely unknown whether miRNAs can regulate the core clock genes (Clock and Bmal1).

Results

In this study, we found that mir-142-3p directly targeted the 3’UTR of human BMAL1 and mouse Bmal1. The over-expression (in 293ET and NIH3T3 cells) and knockdown (in U87MG cells) of mir-142-3p reduced and up-regulated the Bmal1/BMAL1 mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Moreover, the expression level of mir-142-3p oscillated in serum-shocked NIH3T3 cells and the results of ChIP and luciferase reporter assays suggested that the expression of mir-142-3p was directly controlled by CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimers in NIH3T3 cells.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that mir-142-3p can directly target the 3’UTR of Bmal1. In addition, the expression of mir-142-3p is controlled by CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimers, suggesting a potential negative feedback loop consisting of the miRNAs and the core clock genes. These findings open new perspective for studying the molecular mechanism of circadian clock.

Advances in understanding the peripheral circadian clocks

In the past decade, it has become increasingly evident that the circadian clock system plays an important role in many physiological processes. The circadian clock can be divided into 2 parts: the central clock, residing in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, which receives light cues, and the peripheral clocks that reside in various tissues throughout the body. The peripheral clocks play an integral and unique role in each of their respective tissues, driving the circadian expression of specific genes involved in a variety of physiological functions. The goal of this review is to provide an introduction to and overview of the peripheral clocks, including potential mechanisms, targets, and implications for disease states. The peripheral clocks include the cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, immune, and reproductive systems.

Lactation Biology Symposium: circadian clocks as mediators of the homeorhetic response to lactation

The transition from pregnancy to lactation is the most stressful period in the life of a cow. During this transition, homeorhetic adaptations are coordinated across almost every organ and are marked by changes in hormones and metabolism to accommodate the increased energetic demands of lactation. Recent data from our laboratory showed that changes in circadian clocks occur in multiple tissues during the transition period in rats and indicate that the circadian system coordinates changes in the physiology of the dam needed to support lactation. Circadian rhythms coordinate the timing of physiological processes and synchronize these processes with the environment of the animal. Circadian rhythms are generated by molecular circadian clocks located in the hypothalamus (the master clock) and peripherally in every organ of the body. The master clock receives environmental and physiological cues and, in turn, synchronizes internal physiology by coordinating endocrine rhythms and metabolism through peripheral clocks. The effect of the circadian clock on lactation may be inferred by the photoperiod effect on milk production, which is accompanied by coordinated changes in the endocrine system and metabolic capacity of the dam to respond to changes in day length. We have shown that bovine mammary epithelial cells possess a functional clock that can be synchronized by external stimuli, and the expression of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like gene, a positive limb of the core clock, is responsive to prolactin in bovine mammary explants. Others showed that 7% of genes expressed in breasts of lactating women had circadian patterns of expression, and we report that the diurnal variation of composition of bovine milk is associated with changes in expression of mammary core clock genes. Together these studies indicate that the circadian system coordinates the metabolic and hormonal changes needed to initiate and sustain lactation, and we believe that the capacity of the dam to produce milk and cope with metabolic stresses in early lactation is related to her ability to set circadian rhythms during the transition period.

Nocturnin: at the crossroads of clocks and metabolism

Many aspects of metabolism exhibit daily rhythmicity under the control of endogenous circadian clocks, and disruptions in circadian timing result in dysfunctions associated with the metabolic syndrome. Nocturnin (Noc) is a robustly rhythmic gene that encodes a deadenylase thought to be involved in the removal of polyA tails from mRNAs. Mice lacking the Noc gene display resistance to diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis, due in part to reduced lipid trafficking in the small intestine. In addition, Noc appears to play important roles in other tissues and has been implicated in lipid metabolism, adipogenesis, glucose homeostasis, inflammation and osteogenesis. Therefore, Noc is a potential key post-transcriptional mediator in the circadian control of many metabolic processes.

(Re)inventing the circadian feedback loop

For 20 years, researchers have thought that circadian clocks are defined by feedback loops of transcription and translation. The rediscovery of posttranslational circadian oscillators in diverse organisms forces us to rethink this paradigm. Meanwhile, the original "basic" feedback loops of canonical circadian clocks have swelled to include dozens of additional proteins acting in interlocked loops. We review several self-sustained clock mechanisms and propose that minimum requirements for diurnal timekeeping might be simpler than those of actual free-running circadian oscillators. Thus, complex mechanisms of circadian timekeeping might have evolved from random connections between unrelated feedback loops with independent but limited time-telling capability.

Transgene regulation in plants by alternative splicing of a suicide exon

Compared to transcriptional activation, other mechanisms of gene regulation have not been widely exploited for the control of transgenes. One barrier to the general use and application of alternative splicing is that splicing-regulated transgenes have not been shown to be reliably and simply designed. Here, we demonstrate that a cassette bearing a suicide exon can be inserted into a variety of open reading frames (ORFs), generating transgenes whose expression is activated by exon skipping in response to a specific protein inducer. The surprisingly minimal sequence requirements for the maintenance of splicing fidelity and regulation indicate that this splicing cassette can be used to regulate any ORF containing one of the amino acids Glu, Gln or Lys. Furthermore, a single copy of the splicing cassette was optimized by rational design to confer robust gene activation with no background expression in plants. Thus, conditional splicing has the potential to be generally useful for transgene regulation.

Time of day regulates subcellular trafficking, tripartite synaptic localization, and polyadenylation of the astrocytic Fabp7 mRNA

The astrocyte brain fatty acid binding protein (Fabp7) has previously been shown to have a coordinated diurnal regulation of mRNA and protein throughout mouse brain, and an age-dependent decline in protein expression within synaptoneurosomal fractions. Mechanisms that control time-of-day changes in expression and trafficking Fabp7 to the perisynaptic process are not known. In this study, we confirmed an enrichment of Fabp7 mRNA and protein in the astrocytic perisynaptic compartment, and observed a diurnal change in the intracellular distribution of Fabp7 mRNA in molecular layers of hippocampus. Northern blotting revealed a coordinated time-of-day-dependent oscillation for the Fabp7 mRNA poly(A) tail throughout murine brain. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 1 (CPEB1) regulates subcellular trafficking and translation of synaptic plasticity-related mRNAs. Here we show that Fabp7 mRNA coimmunoprecipitated with CPEB1 from primary mouse astrocyte extracts, and its 3'UTR contains phylogenetically conserved cytoplasmic polyadenylation elements (CPEs) capable of regulating translation of reporter mRNAs during Xenopus oocyte maturation. Given that Fabp7 expression is confined to astrocytes and neural progenitors in adult mouse brain, the synchronized cycling pattern of Fabp7 mRNA is a novel discovery among known CPE-regulated transcripts. These results implicate circadian, sleep, and/or metabolic control of CPEB-mediated subcellular trafficking and localized translation of Fabp7 mRNA in the tripartite synapse of mammalian brain.

Alternative splicing mediates responses of the Arabidopsis circadian clock to temperature changes

Alternative splicing plays crucial roles by influencing the diversity of the transcriptome and proteome and regulating protein structure/function and gene expression. It is widespread in plants, and alteration of the levels of splicing factors leads to a wide variety of growth and developmental phenotypes. The circadian clock is a complex piece of cellular machinery that can regulate physiology and behavior to anticipate predictable environmental changes on a revolving planet. We have performed a system-wide analysis of alternative splicing in clock components in Arabidopsis thaliana plants acclimated to different steady state temperatures or undergoing temperature transitions. This revealed extensive alternative splicing in clock genes and dynamic changes in alternatively spliced transcripts. Several of these changes, notably those affecting the circadian clock genes late elongated hypocotyl (LHY) and pseudo response regulator7, are temperature-dependent and contribute markedly to functionally important changes in clock gene expression in temperature transitions by producing nonfunctional transcripts and/or inducing nonsense-mediated decay. Temperature effects on alternative splicing contribute to a decline in LHY transcript abundance on cooling, but LHY promoter strength is not affected. We propose that temperature-associated alternative splicing is an additional mechanism involved in the operation and regulation of the plant circadian clock.

Alternative splicing at the right time

Alternative splicing (AS) allows the production of multiple mRNA variants from a single gene, which contributes to increase the complexity of the proteome. There is evidence that AS is regulated not only by auxiliary splicing factors, but also by components of the core spliceosomal machinery, as well as through epigenetic modifications. However, to what extent these different mechanisms contribute to the regulation of AS in response to endogenous or environmental stimuli is still unclear. Circadian clocks allow organisms to adjust physiological processes to daily changes in environmental conditions. Here we review recent evidence linking circadian clock and AS, and discuss the role of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) in these processes. We propose that the interactions between daily oscillations in AS and circadian rhythms in the expression of splicing factors and epigenetic regulators offer a great opportunity to dissect the contribution of these mechanisms to the regulation of AS in a physiologically relevant context.

RNA-based regulation in the plant circadian clock

The circadian clock is an endogenous, approximately 24-h timer that enables plants to anticipate daily changes in their environment and regulates a considerable fraction of the transcriptome. At the core of the circadian system is the oscillator, made up of interconnected feedback loops, involving transcriptional regulation of clock genes and post-translational modification of clock proteins. Recently, it has become clear that post-transcriptional events are also critical for shaping rhythmic mRNA and protein profiles. This review covers regulation at the RNA level of both the core clock and output genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), with comparisons with other model organisms. We discuss the role of splicing, mRNA decay and translational regulation as well as recent insights into rhythms of noncoding regulatory RNAs.

Genetics of circadian rhythms in Mammalian model organisms

The mammalian circadian system is a complex hierarchical temporal network which is organized around an ensemble of uniquely coupled cells comprising the principal circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. This central pacemaker is entrained each day by the environmental light/dark cycle and transmits synchronizing cues to cell-autonomous oscillators in tissues throughout the body. Within cells of the central pacemaker and the peripheral tissues, the underlying molecular mechanism by which oscillations in gene expression occur involves interconnected feedback loops of transcription and translation. Over the past 10 years, we have learned much regarding the genetics of this system, including how it is particularly resilient when challenged by single-gene mutations, how accessory transcriptional loops enhance the robustness of oscillations, how epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the control of circadian gene expression, and how, from coupled neuronal networks, emergent clock properties arise. Here, we will explore the genetics of the mammalian circadian system from cell-autonomous molecular oscillations, to interactions among central and peripheral oscillators and ultimately, to the daily rhythms of behavior observed in the animal.

The genetics of plant clocks

The rotation of the earth on its axis confers the property of dramatic, recurrent, rhythmic environmental change. The rhythmicity of this change from day to night and again to day imparts predictability. As a consequence, most organisms have acquired the capacity to measure time to use this time information to temporally regulate their biology to coordinate with their environment in anticipation of coming change. Circadian rhythms, endogenous rhythms with periods of ∼24h, are driven by an internal circadian clock. This clock integrates temporal information and coordinates of many aspects of biology, including basic metabolism, hormone signaling and responses, and responses to biotic and abiotic stress, making clocks central to "systems biology." This review will first address the extent to which the clock regulates many biological processes. The architecture and mechanisms of the plant circadian oscillator, emphasizing what has been learned from intensive study of the circadian clock in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, will be considered. The conservation of clock components in other species will address the extent to which the Arabidopsis model will inform our consideration of plants in general. Finally, studies addressing the role of clocks in fitness will be discussed. Accumulating evidence indicates that the consonance of the endogenous circadian clock with environmental cycles enhances fitness, including both biomass accumulation and reproductive performance. Thus, increased understanding of plant responses to environmental input and to endogenous temporal cues has ecological and agricultural importance.