Event Title
Expression of Melatonin and Cryptochrome in Crustaceans
Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
30-4-2015 9:00 AM
End Date
30-4-2015 10:55 AM
Project Type
Poster
Description
Circadian rhythms are endogenously-driven biological cycles with periods of approximately 24 hours and influence many systems and processes in the body of an organism. Many circadian rhythm components, like the proteins timeless (TIM), crytopchrome (CRY), and clock (CLK), are phylogenetically conserved in organisms as diverse as Drosophila and humans. Drosophila has been studied extensively, with the best-characterized clock mechanisms. Crustacean circadian rhythms have not been studied extensively, and the molecular underpinnings are largely unknown. Cells from various lobes of the brain were cultured for a minimum of 24 hours before fixing. Whole brains were also examined. Initial results indicate putative CLK immunolabeling occurs prominently in Cluster 6 of the fiddler crab brain, a region implicated in the regulation of crustacean circadian rhythms. We are currently studying the timing differences in the presence of the other circadian proteins including TIM and CLK. Additionally, we are interested in measuring the effects of melatonin and various agonists and antagonists on Fiddler Crab neurons.
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Biology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Natural Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
1167
Expression of Melatonin and Cryptochrome in Crustaceans
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Circadian rhythms are endogenously-driven biological cycles with periods of approximately 24 hours and influence many systems and processes in the body of an organism. Many circadian rhythm components, like the proteins timeless (TIM), crytopchrome (CRY), and clock (CLK), are phylogenetically conserved in organisms as diverse as Drosophila and humans. Drosophila has been studied extensively, with the best-characterized clock mechanisms. Crustacean circadian rhythms have not been studied extensively, and the molecular underpinnings are largely unknown. Cells from various lobes of the brain were cultured for a minimum of 24 hours before fixing. Whole brains were also examined. Initial results indicate putative CLK immunolabeling occurs prominently in Cluster 6 of the fiddler crab brain, a region implicated in the regulation of crustacean circadian rhythms. We are currently studying the timing differences in the presence of the other circadian proteins including TIM and CLK. Additionally, we are interested in measuring the effects of melatonin and various agonists and antagonists on Fiddler Crab neurons.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/1