Moonlight controls lunar-phase-dependency and regular oscillation of clock gene expressions in a lunar-synchronized spawner fish, Goldlined spinefoot
Open accessAbstract
Goldlined spinefoot, Siganus guttatus, inhabits tropical and subtropical waters and synchronizes its spawning around the first quarter moon likely using an hourglass-like lunar timer. In previous studies, we have found that clock genes (Cryptochrome3 and Period1) could play the role of state variable in the diencephalon when determining the lunar phase for spawning. Here, we identified three Cry, two Per, two Clock, and two Bmal genes in S. guttatus and investigated their expression patterns in the diencephalon and pituitary gland. We further evaluated the effect on their expression patterns by daily interruptions of moonlight stimuli for 1 lunar cycle beginning at the new moon. It significantly modified the expression patterns in many of the examined clock(-related) genes including Cry3 in the diencephalon and/or pituitary gland. Acute interruptions of moonlight around the waxing gibbous moon upregulated nocturnal expressions of Cry1b and Cry2 in the diencephalon and pituitary gland, respectively, but did not affect expression levels of the other clock genes. These results highlighted the importance of repetitive moonlight illumination for stable or lunar-phase-specific daily expression of clock genes in the next lunar cycle that may be important for the lunar-phase-synchronized spawning on the next first quarter moon.
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Moonlight interruption markedly impacted the expression levels, cycle amplitude and daily pattern of clock genes in diencephalon and pituitary gland of Siganus guttatus.
“A deeper analysis of clock genes oscillations in diencephalon and pituitary gland over the lunar cycle revealed that moonlight interruption (by tank coverage) markedly impacted on the expression levels, cycle amplitude and daily pattern [29].”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [29]
In the diencephalon of Siganus guttatus, the most remarkable effects of moonlight deprivation occurred counterintuitively during NM.
“Curiously, the most remarkable effects of moonlight deprivation reported in the diencephalon occurred counterintuitively during NM (Figure 2).”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [29]
In the pituitary of Siganus guttatus, cry1a and cry2 levels were higher in almost all lunar phases in moonlight-deprived specimens, as well as per2a and per2b.
“In the pituitary, cry1a and cry2 levels were higher in almost all lunar phases in moonlight-deprived specimens, as well as per2a and per2b.”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [29]
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- Authors
- Takeuchi, Y., Kabutomori, R., Yamauchi, C., Miyagi, H., Takemura, A., Okano, K., & Okano, T.
- Affiliations
- Waseda University (JP)
- University of the Ryukyus (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Okano, Toshiyuki
- Venue
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2018-04-18
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 6208-6208
- ISSN
- 2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5906463
- OpenAlex
- W2882982493
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 2.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Waseda University
- University of the Ryukyus
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (18K14523, 18K19348, 16K18753)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Keywords
- moonlight, lunar phases, clock genes, circadian rhythm, spawning synchrony, Siganus guttatus, cryptochrome, period gene, clock gene expression, diencephalon, pituitary gland, light interruption
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Circadian Rhythm, Fishes, Gene Expression Regulation, Moon, Gene Expression Profiling, CLOCK Proteins, Transcriptome
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