Is it time to differentiate?: Exploring the gene regulatory networks and compensatory mechanisms of the clock genes involved in Drosophila melanogaste

Circadian rhythms are a fundamental part of life on planet earth. As the planet cycles between day and night, organisms must maintain internal homeostasis. Therefore, the circadian clock genes period (per) and timeless (tim), and its blue light-dependent regulator cryptochrome (cry), have evolved to maintain internal equilibrium in a cyclic external environment. PER, TIM and CRY are expressed during embryonic development stages 12-15 only, however the regulatory genes which control this are poorly understood. Therefore, the first area to explore is the gene regulatory networks of these clock genes, and hence to discover the transcription factors for per, tim and cry. It is also known that the absence of per, tim and cry is not lethal in Drosophila melanogaster, merely causing altered developmental timing. Reduced viability would be expected, given the loss of genes responsible for homeostatic and developmental control, which suggests the existence of compensatory mechanisms. Therefore, this project aims to investigate any such compensatory mechanisms by producing null mutants for the clock genes to look at which genes are upregulated in the absence of per, tim and cry.