Commentary Cell Science Reviews Vol 5 No 4 ISSN 1742-8130

Towards a synthetic circadian clock in mammals

The molecular mechanism of circadian clocks is complex: it involves many genes and several interlocked positive and negative feedback loops. However mathematical models predict that a simple delayed negative regulatory feedback involving a single gene would be sufficient to produce self-sustained 24 hours oscillations. The design principles of the genetic network responsible for oscillations are not yet elucidated. Synthetic biology provides a means to tackle this issue. A recent publication in Nature addressed this question by designing an artificial clock that relies on a minimal mechanism. Guided by a mathematical model, this system was implemented in cultured mammalian cells and produced in vivo self-sustained oscillations. Besides providing insights in the functioning of a genetic oscillator, this first realization of a synthetic clock in a mammalian cell opens promising perspectives for cell therapy.

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