Influence of light and temperature cycles on the expression of circadian clock genes in the mussel Mytilus edulis

Chapman, Emma; Bonsor, Brodie; Parsons, Daniel R.; Rotchell, Jeanette

Abstract

Clock genes and environmental cues regulate essential biological rhythms. The blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is an ecologically and economically important intertidal bivalve undergoing seasonal reproductive rhythms. We previously identified seasonal expression differences in M. edulis clock genes. Herein, the effects of light/dark cycles, constant darkness, and daily temperature cycles on the circadian expression patterns of such genes are characterised.
Clock genes Clk, Cry1, ROR/HR3, Per and Rev-erb/NR1D1, and Timeout-like, show significant mRNA expression variation, persisting in darkness indicating endogenous control. Rhythmic expression was apparent under diurnal temperature cycles in darkness for all except Rev-erb. Temperature cycles induced a significant expression difference in the non-circadian clock-associated gene aaNAT. Furthermore, Suppression Subtractive Hybridisation (SSH) was used to identify seasonal genes with potential links to molecular clock function revealed numerous genes meriting further investigation. Understanding the relationship between environmental cues and molecular clocks is crucial in predicting the outcomes of environmental change on fundamental rhythmic processes.

Citation

Chapman, E., Bonsor, B., Parsons, D. R., & Rotchell, J. (2020). Influence of light and temperature cycles on the expression of circadian clock genes in the mussel Mytilus edulis. Marine environmental research, 159, Article 104960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104960

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 19, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Mar 23, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Deposit Date: Mar 20, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 24, 2021
• Journal: Marine Environmental Research
• Print ISSN: 0141-1136
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 159
• Article Number: 104960
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104960
• Keywords: Mytilus; Bivalve; Mollusc; Circadian rhythm; Clock; Light; Photoperiod; Diurnal; Temperature; mRNA
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3475646
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141113620300283