The nuclear entry of clock gene products is required to establish the negative feed back loop- a key step in proper circadian rhythm. Heterodimerization of clock proteins PER and CRY is required for translocation to the nucleus. Nuclear entry of PER can be regulated by mammalian casein kinase I (CK1). Once in the nucleus, PER and CRY proteins appear to differentially inhibit the transactivation by CLOCK/BMAL1. Proteins like REV-ERBa and DEC also regulate the transcriptional activation by CLOCK/BMAL1. In addition, CRY, PER, and BMAL1-CLOCK play bidirectional roles in transcription resulting in interactivating feedback loops. The expression of BMAL1 and CLOCK can be upregulated by CRY and PER. Such loops are believed to be important in the stability and persistence of circadian rhythm.

Circadian Rhythms References