Real-Time Study of Circadian Clock a First for Science

Scientists have studied the circadian clock and its responses to environmental cues in real-time for the first time using a tiny aquatic organism called a cyanobacterium. The team looked at the cyanobacterium's core oscillator, studying the ways its output acts as a signal for timekeeping. The research revealed several new insights, including the fact that enzymes known as kinases that mediate genetic expression are more closely related to the clock function than previously thought. This method of real-time monitoring can be used to better understand how our own internal circadian rhythms work and how their timekeeping has an effect on the rest of our bodies.