Hypothalamic expression and moonlight-independent changes of Cry3 and Per4 implicate their roles in lunar clock oscillators of the lunar-responsive goldlined spinefoot
Open accessAbstract
Lunar cycle-associated physiology has been found in a wide variety of organisms. Studies suggest the presence of a circalunar clock in some animals, but the location of the lunar clock is unclear. We previously found lunar-associated expression of transcripts for Cryptochrome3 gene (SgCry3) in the brain of a lunar phase-responsive fish, the Goldlined spinefoot (Siganus guttatus). Then we proposed a photoperiodic model for the lunar phase response, in which SgCry3 might function as a phase-specific light response gene and/or an oscillatory factor in unidentified circalunar clock. In this study, we have developed an anti-SgCRY3 antibody to identify SgCRY3-immunoreactive cells in the brain. We found immunoreactions in the subependymal cells located in the mediobasal region of the diencephalon, a crucial site for photoperiodic seasonal responses in birds. For further assessment of the lunar-responding mechanism and the circalunar clock, we investigated mRNA levels of Cry3 as well as those of the other clock(-related) genes, Period (Per2 and Per4), in S. guttatus reared under nocturnal moonlight interruption or natural conditions. Not only SgCry3 but SgPer4 mRNA levels showed lunar phase-dependent variations in the diencephalon without depending on light condition during the night. These results suggest that the expressions of SgCry3 and SgPer4 are not directly regulated by moonlight stimulation but endogenously mediated in the brain, and implicate that circadian clock(-related) genes may be involved in the circalunar clock locating within the mediobasal region of the diencephalon.
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In Siganus guttatus, per4 showed a robust oscillation over the lunar cycle under all the light regimes, but in antiphase compared to cry3.
“Moreover, per4 showed a robust oscillation over the lunar cycle under all the light regimes, but in antiphase compared to cry3.”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [50]
The circalunar expression pattern of cry3 in partial or complete absence of moonlight cues was similar to the profile found in more natural condition, indicating the presence of an endogenous oscillator.
“However, the circalunar expression pattern of cry3 in partial or complete absence of moonlight cues (partial, restricting moonlight exposure only to the first or second half of the night, or complete, covering the tank for the whole night), was similar to the profile found in more natural condition (tank not covered) [50], indicating the presence of an endogenous oscillator.”
From The Still Dark Side of the Moon: Molecular Mechanisms of Lunar-Controlled Rhythms and Clocks (2020) · cites this paper as [50]
In S. guttatus, SgCry1 levels are controlled by light, whereas SgCry3 levels continue to exhibit monthly periodicity even in the absence of nocturnal light cues, providing strong evidence that SgCry3 is under the control of an endogenous monthly clock.
“Whereas SgCry1 levels are controlled by light, SgCry3 levels continue to exhibit a monthly periodicity even in the absence of nocturnal light cues, providing strong evidence that this gene is under the control of an endogenous monthly clock (31).”
From An Overview of Monthly Rhythms and Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [31]
In S. guttatus, per4 in the diencephalon has its lowest expression around the first quarter of the moon, even if the fish were shielded from light during the night.
“In the brain samples that were taken at different timed during the lunar cycle, this gene had its lowest expression around the first quarter of the moon, even if the fish were shielded from light during the night (31).”
From An Overview of Monthly Rhythms and Clocks (2017) · cites this paper as [31]
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- Authors
- Toda, R., Okano, K., Takeuchi, Y., Yamauchi, C., Fukushiro, M., Takemura, A., & Okano, T.
- Affiliations
- Waseda University (JP)
- University of the Ryukyus (JP)
- Corresponding author
- Okano, Toshiyuki
- Venue
- PLoS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2014-10-01
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- e109119
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4182804
- OpenAlex
- W2106888813
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 0.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (24657109, 23248033, 26650024)
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (26650024, 23248033, 24657109)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Light effects on plants
- Keywords
- Siganus guttatus, period gene, hypothalamus, diencephalon, clock gene expression
- MeSH terms
- Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Fishes, Hypothalamus, Molecular Sequence Data, Proteins, RNA, Messenger, Moon, Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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