Scientists have found that subtle interactions between three proteins keep the internal clock in sync with the outside world.
Why this matters: This article reminded me again that fly (Drosophila) geneticists have the most fun. The three proteins mentioned in this article (and by extension the genes that code for the proteins) are called: Cryptochrome, Jetlag and Timeless. There's a long history of giving Drosophila genes goofy names.
The advantage of working with a model organism like Drosophila (other than being able to give the genes goofy names) is that it can lead to insights into how other organisms are set up. A surprising amount of the genetic and cellular structures are conserved across organisms. So, while you probably won't find exactly the same genes and proteins in humans that are in Drosophila, research like this can at least give you insight into where to start looking.
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Posted by: hollywood bistro | July 12, 2011 at 09:54 AM