BMAL
Encyclopedia
Bmal is a gene that encodes proteins regulating circadian rhythm
. BMAL proteins form part of a basic-helix-loop-helix
transcription factor
. BMAL-1 dimerizes with CLOCK
in vivo and transactivates gene expression of Period
and Timeless
in drosophila
by binding to E-box
elements in their promoters. BMAL1-CLOCK also regulates Cryptochrome
genes (e.g. Cry1, Cry2) and Period genes (e.g. Per1, Per2, Per3).
Circadian rhythm
A circadian rhythm, popularly referred to as body clock, is an endogenously driven , roughly 24-hour cycle in biochemical, physiological, or behavioural processes. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria...
. BMAL proteins form part of a basic-helix-loop-helix
Basic-helix-loop-helix
A basic helix-loop-helix is a protein structural motif that characterizes a family of transcription factors.- Structure :The motif is characterized by two α-helices connected by a loop. In general, transcription factors including this domain are dimeric, each with one helix containing basic amino...
transcription factor
Transcription factor
In molecular biology and genetics, a transcription factor is a protein that binds to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the flow of genetic information from DNA to mRNA...
. BMAL-1 dimerizes with CLOCK
CLOCK
Clock is a gene encoding a basic-helix-loop-helix-PAS transcription factor that affects both the persistence and period of circadian rhythms...
in vivo and transactivates gene expression of Period
Period (gene)
Period is a gene located on the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster. Oscillations in levels of both per transcript and its corresponding protein PER have a period of approximately 24 hours and together play a central role in the molecular mechanism of the Drosophila biological clock driving...
and Timeless
Timeless (gene)
Timeless is a gene in Drosophila which encodes TIM, an essential protein that regulates circadian rhythms. Timeless mRNA and protein oscillate rhythmically with time as part of a transcription-translation [negative feedback] loop involving the period gene and its protein.-Discovery:Timeless was...
in drosophila
Drosophila
Drosophila is a genus of small flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "fruit flies" or more appropriately pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many species to linger around overripe or rotting fruit...
by binding to E-box
E-box
An E-box is a DNA sequence which usually lies upstream of a gene in a promoter region. It is a transcription factor binding site where the specific sequence of DNA, CANNTG, is recognized by proteins that can bind to it to help initiate its transcription. Once transcription factors bind to...
elements in their promoters. BMAL1-CLOCK also regulates Cryptochrome
Cryptochrome
Cryptochromes are a class of blue light-sensitive flavoproteins found in plants and animals. Cryptochromes are involved in the circadian rhythms of plants and animals, and in the sensing of magnetic fields in a number of species...
genes (e.g. Cry1, Cry2) and Period genes (e.g. Per1, Per2, Per3).