Rockefeller researchers discover a biological clock within a clock

Eurekalert ^ | 1/12/06 | Joseph Bonner

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

Just as a pocket watch requires a complex system of gears and springs to keep it ticking precisely, individual cells have a network of proteins and genes that maintain their own internal clock -- a 24-hour rhythm that, in humans, regulates metabolism, cell division, and hormone production, as well as the wake-sleep cycle. Studying this "circadian" rhythm in fruit flies, which have genes that are similar to our own, scientists have constructed a basic model of how the cellular timekeeper works. But now, a new report in this week's issue of the journal Science turns the old model on its head: By providing a glimpse into living cells, Rockefeller University researchers have uncovered a previously undetected clock inside the circadian clock. The scientists made the finding with a rarely used technique called FRET, which enabled them to follow circadian proteins over an extended period of time and watch the clock as it ticks away in a living cell.

[snip]

The movie allowed them to follow the interactions between Period and Timeless with a resolution never before possible. They discovered that, rather than randomly colliding, the two proteins bind together in the cytoplasm almost immediately and create what Young and Meyer refer to as an "interval timer." Then, six hours after coming together, the complexes rapidly break apart and the proteins move into the nucleus singly, all of them within minutes of each other. "Some switch is thrown at six hours that lets the complex explode. The proteins pop apart and roll into the nucleus," Young says. "Somehow, implanted within the system is a timer, formed by Period and Timeless, that counts off six hours. You have a clock within a clock." He notes that this precise timer shows how carefully orchestrated interactions between proteins really are.

[steveo]

Does this timer blink 12:00?

[mlc9852]

Happy Birthday, Dasher! May you birthday wish come true!

[AdmSmith]

This is interesting.

"In the fruitfly there is a mutation of PERIOD that causes the sleep/wake cycle to occur with a 29- rather than a 24-hour period. When Pablo followed this mutant PERIOD protein in his cells he found that again assemblies formed immediately, but broke apart and entered the nucleus after nine rather than five hours. Pablo discovered that somehow, when brought together, PERIOD and TIMELESS form an interval timer that begins to wind down at a rate that can be very precise and specified by the proteins themselves."


http://www.rockefeller.edu/benchmarks/graduates/grad10.php

As this area is studied by many groups http://flybase.bio.indiana.edu/allied-data/lk/interactive-fly/neural/period5.htm I guess that we will see more information in a timeless period.

[null and void]

So I heard...

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[fella]

It's all just an accident, there is no intelligence behind this. Anyone who says different will be drug through our courts by our god fearing lawyers.

[Flightdeck]

Over the years on this forum, I've noticed you seem to head up the evolution part of the evolution vs. theory debate. I have no reason to doubt or disagree with any part of scientifically accepted evolution of humans (and other animals) through time. I just believe that all that evolution was put into motion by a God. Is there room for that belief within your group or do you also reject the idea of any God?

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

"Why, I'll bet there's a team of tiny angels that push the proteins around just so."
"But can you prove it?"

Original And Funny!

[Yollopoliuhqui]

Intercellular molecular metabolism would be less of a mystery if research into "optical biophysics" was not a funding taboo. Molecules are not orchestrated by God but by tiny EMF broadcast with concomitant field alignments. This also means that micro EMF broadcast can be directed at cells to upset metabolism, ie., cure disease in ways that could ruin Drugz Inc.'s day.

By ascribing to God all that is mysterious and yet to be explained, we downgrade God to an agent of superstition and credit ourselves with Godlike powers. Hmmm, come to think of it...


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[RadioAstronomer]

tiny angels

The last paper I read about this in "Physics Today" said the evidence was leaning towards elves instead. Angels are so yesterday.

hehe

[RadioAstronomer]

Over the years on this forum, I've noticed you seem to head up the evolution part of the evolution vs. theory debate.

PH is the spokesperson for the "Grand Master" at Darwin Central headquartered in the Galapagos Islands.

[RightWingAtheist]

I've been thinking about this might be a good subject for a science fiction story: scientists find intricate, highly precise "clocks" on a planet where there is no intelligent life, nor any other evidence that intelligent life might have existed there. Because molecular clocks actually exist within every organism, it is possible that they are actually evolved objects- but how, and why?

[RadioAstronomer]

Cool beans my friend. :-)

>it is possible that they are actually evolved objects- but how, and why?<

Waaaayyyy out of my field even though I use atomic (Cesium and Rubidium) clocks everyday. :-)

What if there was a planet where the evolved species naturally used the RF spectrum for communication. A passing spacecraft picking up on the modulated RF might think there was intelligent life there.

[adam_az]

MUST read!

[Bigg Red]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

[Dimensio]

Is there room for that belief within your group or do you also reject the idea of any God?

Most of the people on the evolution camp here on FR are theists. I've seen little religious hostility from the minority who are atheists. You will hear assertions that we on the evolution side are "anti-religion", but that's usuall (in fact, I daresay always because we don't tolerate dishonesty or idiocy in the name of pushing a specific religious ideal rather than an actual animosity toward religion in general.

[shuckmaster]

If there is no God, then Nature does one hell of an imitation.

You're slowly starting to catch on!

[shuckmaster]

"Why, I'll bet there's a team of tiny angels that push the proteins around just so." But can you prove it?

You just gotta have faith!

[From many - one.]

It's my understanding that most professional scientists (including those on Free Republic) are also believing Christians (or Jews) of some brand.

I see no conflict myself.

[Michael_Michaelangelo]

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