Unexpected features of Drosophila circadian behavioural rhythms under natural conditions
Abstract
Circadian clocks have evolved to synchronize physiology, metabolism and behaviour to the 24-h geophysical cycles of the Earth. Drosophila melanogaster's rhythmic locomotor behaviour provides the main phenotype for the identification of higher eukaryotic clock genes. Under laboratory light-dark cycles, flies show enhanced activity before lights on and off signals, and these anticipatory responses have defined the neuronal sites of the corresponding morning (M) and evening (E) oscillators. However, the natural environment provides much richer cycling environmental stimuli than the laboratory, so we sought to examine fly locomotor rhythms in the wild. Here we show that several key laboratory-based assumptions about circadian behaviour are not supported by natural observations. These include the anticipation of light transitions, the midday 'siesta', the fly's crepuscular activity, its nocturnal behaviour under moonlight, and the dominance of light stimuli over temperature. We also observe a third major locomotor component in addition to M and E, which we term 'A' (afternoon). Furthermore, we show that these natural rhythm phenotypes can be observed in the laboratory by using realistic temperature and light cycle simulations. Our results suggest that a comprehensive re-examination of circadian behaviour and its molecular readouts under simulated natural conditions will provide a more authentic interpretation of the adaptive significance of this important rhythmic phenotype. Such studies should also help to clarify the underlying molecular and neuroanatomical substrates of the clock under natural protocols.
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Studies in corals and D. melanogaster show discrepancies in gene expression data between field and laboratory samples.
“studies in corals and D. melanogaster show discrepancies in gene expression data between field and laboratory samples [26,27,132]”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [132]
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- Authors
- Vanin, S., Bhutani, S., Montelli, S., Menegazzi, P., Green, E. W., Pegoraro, M., Sandrelli, F., Costa, R., & Kyriacou, C. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Padua (IT)
- University of Leicester (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Costa, Rodolfo
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2012-04
- Volume
- 484
- Issue
- 7394
- Pages
- 371-375
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W1999568022
- Cited by
- 255
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 13.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- University of Huddersfield Repository (University of Huddersfield) (submittedVersion)
- Leicester Research Archive (University of Leicester) (submittedVersion)
- Huddersfield Research Portal (University of Huddersfield) (submittedVersion)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Royal Society
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/J005169/1, BB/F008988/1)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Keywords
- Drosophila melanogaster, circadian rhythm, locomotor behaviour, rhythmic entrainment, temperature entrainment, moonlight, photoperiod, clock genes, siesta, crepuscular activity, nocturnal behaviour
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Biological Clocks, Circadian Rhythm, Cues, Darkness, Drosophila melanogaster, Environment, Female, United Kingdom, Italy, Laboratories, Light, Male, Motor Activity, Phenotype, Seasons, Temperature, Time Factors, Moon
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