Circadian rhythms represent a common form of cellular and organismal regulation seen in most living things; understanding clock function and output are of significant medical importance. Neurospora has been used as a model system to study circadian rhythms for over 40 years. This Equipment Supplement will support the purchase of a new CCD camera and dedicated incubator for collection of time series bioluminescence data in Neurospora. The camera- incubator set-up will be shared by two NIGMS-supported investigators whose MIRA grants focus exclusively on circadian rhythms. Collection of luciferase data underlies nearly all research of circadian rhythms in Neurospora and is essential for most of the work supported by MIRA grants to the two sponsor labs who collectively pioneered this technology for fungi.
Biological clocks work in most cells, including those of fungi and humans, to regulate metabolism. By studying cells of a fungus with a CCD camera that can acquire bioluminescence reporter data, we can understand how clock control works, and how clock malfunction leads to diseases like diabetes and mental illness.
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