The axon-guidance roundabout gene alters the pace of the Drosophila circadian clock

JIMENA BERNI; ESTEBAN J. BECKWITH; MARÍA PAZ FERNÁNDEZ; MARÍA FERNANDA CERIANI

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2008 vol. 27 p. 396 - 407

0953-816X

Great efforts have been directed to the dissection of the cell-autonomous circadian oscillator in Drosophila. However, lessinformation is available regarding how this oscillator controls rhythmic rest?activity cycles. We have identified a viable allele ofroundabout, robohy, where the period of locomotor activity is shortened. From its role in axon-pathfinding, we anticipateddevelopmental defects in clock-relevant structures. However, robohy produced minor defects in the architecture of the circuitsessential for rhythmic behaviour. ROBO?s presence within the circadian circuit strengthened the possibility of a novel role for ROBOat this postdevelopmental stage. Genetic interactions between pdf 01 and robohy suggest that ROBO could alter the communicationwithin different clusters of the circadian network, thus impinging on two basic properties, periodicity and ⁄ or rhythmicity. Earlytranslocation of PERIOD to the nucleus in robohy pacemaker cells indicated that shortened activity rhythms were derived fromalterations in the molecular oscillator. Herein we present a mutation affecting clock function associated with a molecule involved incircuit assembly and maintenance.