The biological clock researcher won the Nobel Prize
October 09, 2017 Source: Pharmaceutical Network
Window._bd_share_config={ "common":{ "bdSnsKey":{ },"bdText":"","bdMini":"2","bdMiniList":false,"bdPic":"","bdStyle":" 0","bdSize":"16"},"share":{ }};with(document)0[(getElementsByTagName('head')[0]||body).appendChild(createElement('script')) .src='http://bdimg.share.baidu.com/static/api/js/share.js?v=89860593.js?cdnversion='+~(-new Date()/36e5)]; The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded first, and three American scientists won the award. Their contribution was the first to discover the molecular mechanisms that control the circadian rhythm. Yan Jun Yan Jun, a researcher at the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the research work of the three winners is very important, but the question of how the biological clock genes including per, regulate the rhythmic physiological activities of cells, tissues and organs remains unresolved.
Hey, hey, hey??
The development of human social economy and civilization relies on the increasingly sophisticated timing tools - clocks, and in every cell of the human body, there is also a timer that squats all the time - the biological clock.
Traveling over the Pacific Ocean on a flight, travelers returning to Asia from the Americas often face a dilemma – a jet lag. Behind it is the biological clock in the ghost.
Researcher at the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said: The biological clock is powerful enough to affect almost every physiological activity of human beings, including cognitive function and obesity. American scientist Jeffrey Hall and others discovered the first gear on this clock. There are already a lot of gears found, but how to adjust this clock, the drug is still in difficult development.
On the afternoon of October 2, the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded first. Three American scientists Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young (Michael W. Young) won this award. Their contribution was the first to discover the molecular mechanisms that control the circadian rhythm.
How important is the circadian rhythm, what are the uniqueities of the research of the three scientists, and what problems should be solved in the future?
In order to answer these questions, Yan Jun interviewed Yan Jun, a researcher at the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is dedicated to the study of circadian rhythm gene regulation networks.
Circadian rhythm is one of many types of biological rhythm
The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour clock, especially the regular behavior of plants, animals, etc. that occur on a 24-hour cycle. For example, humans exhibit distinct behavioral characteristics during the day and night: awake vs sleep, changes in exercise, changes in blood pressure, body temperature, and insulin secretion.
In addition to the circadian rhythm, there are many other types of biological rhythmic behaviors, such as the physiological cycle of young women every month (about 28 days), and the migratory behavior of migratory birds every year.
As long as plants and animals that live in the sun, there are almost all circadian rhythms.
The earth's rotation caused the morning and evening to alternate. In the long process of evolution, organisms have responded to sunrise and sunset, resulting in different survival strategies, such as nocturnal nights, or night out. These "24-hour" survival strategies have been deeply engraved in the genes of humans and other organisms into a biological clock during the long evolutionary process.
Many organisms are classified as either limp or nocturnal creatures depending on the survival strategy. Humans are typical migratory creatures, while mice are nocturnal animals.
The biological clock is powerful enough to affect almost all physiological activities of humans. For example, under normal circumstances, people are regulated by the circadian clock, consume less energy at night, and consume less food. Some patients with circadian rhythm disorder also eat a lot at night, and excess energy leads to obesity. The dysfunction and disorder of the circadian rhythm may also lead to sleep disorders, cognitive changes, and even mental disorders.
Per gene and other discoveries have been discovered
The circadian rhythm behavior is the most basic biological phenomenon. Although it has already been discovered, scientists have been afraid to believe that there is a corresponding gene behind or under the control of this complex life activity. Until 1971, American scientist Seymour Benzer and others discovered that Drosophila mutants had abnormal circadian rhythms. In 1984, in the fierce competition, the research team led by the three scientists first found the first gene that significantly affects the biological circadian rhythm - the per gene. This important discovery has inspired more scientists to join the field.
At present, more than a dozen genes controlling circadian rhythms have been found in mammals, such as Bmal1, Clock and other genes. Among them, three per genes (Per1, Per2, Per3) were found in the human body. The molecular mechanism of the circadian rhythm is now relatively clear, and almost all related genes have been found.
The researchers found that a typical pattern in the regulation of circadian genes is negative feedback regulation. For example, the simplest A and B double gene regulation, A promotes B expression, but B inhibits A expression. They can form a negative feedback regulation, which is a long-term, oscillating.
Researchers have also discovered a special family in the United States. Members of this family began to become drowsy at around 7:00 pm, rested in bed more than others, and they got up a lot earlier than the average person. Genetic testing revealed mutations in a circadian gene (Per2) of their family members.
Related drugs are still under development
Although the three scientists who won the Nobel Prize first discovered the per gene, they did not solve the problem of how the circadian clock genes including per regulate the rhythmic physiological activities of cells, tissues and organs.
According to the current research progress, the academic community generally believes that the SCN (optical nucleus upper nucleus) region in the human brain plays an important role in the regulation of the circadian clock. Light enters the human eye, and the light signal is transmitted to the SCN and other regions of the brain through the photoreceptor pathway. After integration, it produces uniform rhythmic activity, and then passes through the neural circuit to send rhythm signals in the form of nerve electrical signals and hormones. It is transmitted to other brain regions and organs such as liver and pancreas. The clock genes in the cells that make up these organs begin to exert their fists according to the instructions of the signal molecules. A chorus of biological rhythms begins immediately between cells.
More and more genes regulating circadian rhythms have been discovered, but how they receive external signals and how they work together remains to be studied. There are still few products related to the regulation of human circadian rhythms that have been marketed, and related drugs are being difficult to develop and test.
The research work of the three winners is very important, but as a pioneer, Seymour-Benzer should also win the prize. It is a pity that Seymour-Benzhe died in 2007.
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