Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal
Circadian rhythms in mammals are orchestrated by a central clock within the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Our understanding of the electrophysiological basis of SCN activity comes overwhelmingly from a small number of nocturnal rodent species, and the extent to which these are retained in day-active...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2021-11-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/68179 |
| _version_ | 1811236013657292800 |
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| author | Beatriz Bano-Otalora Matthew J Moye Timothy Brown Robert J Lucas Casey O Diekman Mino DC Belle |
| author_facet | Beatriz Bano-Otalora Matthew J Moye Timothy Brown Robert J Lucas Casey O Diekman Mino DC Belle |
| author_sort | Beatriz Bano-Otalora |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Circadian rhythms in mammals are orchestrated by a central clock within the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Our understanding of the electrophysiological basis of SCN activity comes overwhelmingly from a small number of nocturnal rodent species, and the extent to which these are retained in day-active animals remains unclear. Here, we recorded the spontaneous and evoked electrical activity of single SCN neurons in the diurnal rodent Rhabdomys pumilio, and developed cutting-edge data assimilation and mathematical modeling approaches to uncover the underlying ionic mechanisms. As in nocturnal rodents, R. pumilio SCN neurons were more excited during daytime hours. By contrast, the evoked activity of R. pumilio neurons included a prominent suppressive response that is not present in the SCN of nocturnal rodents. Our modeling revealed and subsequent experiments confirmed transient subthreshold A-type potassium channels as the primary determinant of this response, and suggest a key role for this ionic mechanism in optimizing SCN function to accommodate R. pumilio’s diurnal niche. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:02:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1875f52eaf6b46f2934c19d8c1df5fb4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:02:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-1875f52eaf6b46f2934c19d8c1df5fb42022-12-22T03:33:49ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2021-11-011010.7554/eLife.68179Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammalBeatriz Bano-Otalora0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4694-9943Matthew J Moye1Timothy Brown2Robert J Lucas3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1088-8029Casey O Diekman4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4711-1395Mino DC Belle5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4917-957XCentre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomDepartment of Mathematical Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, United States; Department of Quantitative Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics (QP2), Kenilworth, United StatesCentre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomCentre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomDepartment of Mathematical Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, United States; EPSRC Centre for Predictive Modelling in Healthcare, Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, United KingdomInstitute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United KingdomCircadian rhythms in mammals are orchestrated by a central clock within the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Our understanding of the electrophysiological basis of SCN activity comes overwhelmingly from a small number of nocturnal rodent species, and the extent to which these are retained in day-active animals remains unclear. Here, we recorded the spontaneous and evoked electrical activity of single SCN neurons in the diurnal rodent Rhabdomys pumilio, and developed cutting-edge data assimilation and mathematical modeling approaches to uncover the underlying ionic mechanisms. As in nocturnal rodents, R. pumilio SCN neurons were more excited during daytime hours. By contrast, the evoked activity of R. pumilio neurons included a prominent suppressive response that is not present in the SCN of nocturnal rodents. Our modeling revealed and subsequent experiments confirmed transient subthreshold A-type potassium channels as the primary determinant of this response, and suggest a key role for this ionic mechanism in optimizing SCN function to accommodate R. pumilio’s diurnal niche.https://elifesciences.org/articles/68179diurnalitycircadian rhythmssuprachiasmatic nucleuselectrical activitymathematical modelling |
| spellingShingle | Beatriz Bano-Otalora Matthew J Moye Timothy Brown Robert J Lucas Casey O Diekman Mino DC Belle Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal eLife diurnality circadian rhythms suprachiasmatic nucleus electrical activity mathematical modelling |
| title | Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal |
| title_full | Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal |
| title_fullStr | Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal |
| title_short | Daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal |
| title_sort | daily electrical activity in the master circadian clock of a diurnal mammal |
| topic | diurnality circadian rhythms suprachiasmatic nucleus electrical activity mathematical modelling |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/68179 |
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