Natural variation in human clocks

von Schantz, Malcolm (2017) Natural variation in human clocks In: Natural Variation and Clocks. Advances in Genetics (99). Academic Press (Elsevier). ISBN 9780128118115

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Abstract

Our own species has a diurnal activity pattern and an average circadian period of 24.2 hours. Exact determination of circadian period requires expensive and intrusive protocols, and investigators are therefore using chronotype questionnaires as a proxy quantitative measure. Both measures show a normal distribution suggestive of a polygenic trait. The genetic components of the 24-hour feedback loop that generates circadian rhythms within our cells have been mapped in detail, identifying a number of candidate genes which have been investigated for genetic polymorphisms relating to the phenotypic variance. Key in this mechanism is the inhibitory complex containing period and cryptochrome proteins and interacting protein kinases and ubiquitin ligases, and the stability of this complex is recognized as the major determinant of circadian periodicity. The identification of the causative mutations in familial circadian rhythms sleep disorders has shed additional light into this mechanism. Mutations in the negative feedback protein-encoding genes PER2 and CRY2 as well as the CSNK1D gene encoding casein kinase I delta have been shown to cause advanced sleep phase disorder, and a mutation in the CRY1 gene delayed sleep phase disorder. The candidate gene approach has also yielded a number of genetic associations with chronotype as determined by questionnaires. More recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of chronotype have both confirmed associations with the candidate clock gene PER2 and identified a serious of novel genes associated with variability in circadian rhythmicity, which have yet to be explored. Whilst considerable progress has thus been made with mapping the phenotypic diversity in human circadian rhythms and the genomic variability that causes it, studies to date have been mostly focused on individuals of European descent, and there is a strong need for research on other populations.

Item Type:	Book Section
Divisions :	Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences > School of Biosciences and Medicine
Authors :	Name Email ORCID von Schantz, Malcolm M.Von.Schantz@surrey.ac.uk
Date :	1 November 2017
Copyright Disclaimer :	© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is the accepted manuscript version of this article, the published version of which may be found at https://www.elsevier.com/books/natural-variation-and-clocks/goodwin/978-0-12-811811-5 .
Uncontrolled Keywords :	Chronotype; Circadian rhythms; Clock genes; Genetic association study; Genome-wide association study; Sleep disorders
Additional Information :	Series ISSN: 0065-2660
Depositing User :	Clive Harris
Date Deposited :	01 Sep 2017 09:08
Last Modified :	12 Feb 2018 08:25
URI:	http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/842119

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