A role for cryptochromes in sleep regulation

• Published in: BMC neuroscience Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 20
• Main Authors: Wisor, Jonathan P, O'Hara, Bruce F, Terao, Akira, Selby, Chris P, Kilduff, Thomas S, Sancar, Aziz, Edgar, Dale M, Franken, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 20.12.2002; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Animals; ARNTL Transcription Factors; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors; Casein Kinases; Cell Cycle Proteins; circadian genes; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; CLOCK Proteins; Cryptochromes; Darkness; Delta Rhythm; DNA-Binding Proteins; Drosophila Proteins; EEG slow-wave activity; Eye Proteins; Flavoproteins - physiology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Nerve Tissue Proteins - genetics; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Nuclear Proteins - genetics; Nuclear Proteins - metabolism; oscillatory network of transcriptional factors; Period Circadian Proteins; Phenotype; Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate; Protein Kinases - genetics; Protein Kinases - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sleep - physiology; Sleep Deprivation - metabolism; Trans-Activators - genetics; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Wakefulness

The cryptochrome 1 and 2 genes (cry1 and cry2) are necessary for the generation of circadian rhythms, as mice lacking both of these genes (cry1,2-/-) lack circadian rhythms. We studied sleep in cry1,2-/- mice under baseline conditions as well as under conditions of constant darkness and enforced wak...