关键词： gonadotropin-releasing hormone   rhythms   puberty   molecular neuroendocrinology   PULSATILE LUTEINIZING-HORMONE   MONKEYS MACACA-MULATTA   ESTROUS-CYCLE   FEMALE RATS   RHESUS-MONKEYS   BETA-ENDORPHIN   MESSENGER-RNA   CELL-LINE   SECRETION   PUBERTY  

摘要： The release of the decapeptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from neuroterminals in the median eminence varies depending upon the stage of development, time of day, reproductive season, and day of the ovarian cycle. With respect to the biosynthetic events responsible for such alterations in GnRH release, we have reported that increases in GnRH mRNA occur concomitantly with or precede the proestrous GnRH/LH surge in female rats, and the pubertal increase in GnRH. Because a hallmark of puberty is the development of nocturnal increases in gonadotropin/GnRH release, in the present study, we examined whether a rhythm in GnRH gene expression occurs that may be responsible for this rhythm of neurosecretion. Additionally, we extended the previous finding of diurnal rhythms of GnRH gene expression in cycling females to adult male rats. The mechanism for these changes, i.e. GnRH gene transcription, RNA processing or a posttranscriptional mechanisms was also elucidated. In experiment I, GnRH gene expression was measured in female rats at different stages of puberty [P25 (juvenile); similar to P37 (day of vaginal opening); and P45 (postpubertal)] at 10.00, 14.00, 18.00, 22.00, 2.00 and 6.00 h. GnRH mRNA levels increased significantly during pubertal development, independent of any changes in GnRH gene transcription or RNA processing, indicating a posttranscriptional mechanism. GnRH mRNA levels did not vary with time of day in these pubertal rats, indicating that the diurnal rhythm of GnRH release that develops during puberty is probably a posttranslational event. In experiment II, GnRH gene expression was measured in adult male rats at the same 4-hour intervals. GnRH mRNA levels varied significantly with time of day: they increased from 10.00 to 14.00 h, remained elevated through 22.00 h, then decreased significantly to the nadir at 10.00 h. The mechanism for these changes appears to involve processing or stability of the GnRH mRNA in the nucleus. These results indicate

关键词： SILKMOTH ANTHERAEA-PERNYI   PERIOD PROTEIN   DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER   RHYTHMS   CLOCKS  

关键词： 昼夜节律   生物节律   生物钟基因   小鼠   小家鼠   生物学研究   定位  

摘要： 时间生物学研究的新突破：小鼠昼夜节律生物钟基因的定位据美国Ｊｏｓｅｐｈ．Ｓ．Ｔａｋａｈａｓｈｉ等在“Ｓｃｉｅｎｃｅ”上报道，他们用Ｎ－乙基－Ｎ－亚硝基脉（ＥＮＵ）处理的小鼠后代筛选昼夜节律生物钟基因突变，鉴定出控制昼夜节律周期及维持节律性生物钟的半显...

关键词： MESSENGER-RNA   CHICK RETINA   CLOCK   TRANSCRIPTION   PROTEIN   RHYTHM   OPSIN   LEVEL   ROD  

摘要： A circadian clock regulates number of diverse physiological functions in the vertebrate eye. In this study, we show that mRNA for the red-sensitive cone pigment, iodopsin, fluctuates with a circadian rhythm in chicken retina. Transcript levels increase in the late afternoon just prior to the time of cone disc shedding. Furthermore, iodopsin mRNA levels are regulated similarly by a circadian oscillator in primary cultures of dispersed embryonic chick retina. Nuclear run-on experiments show that the circadian regulation of iodopsin transcript abundance occurs at the level of gene transcription. Our results provide a demonstration of clock-regulated gene expression in a vertebrate preparation maintained in cell culture.