| Summary |
Spatio-temporal gene expression patterns underlie time-of-the day specific functional specialization of different organs. Although circadian gene expression atlases from model organisms including the nocturnal mouse are available, they are limited to a few peripheral organs. Here we report the circadian transcriptome of 64 different tissues, including 22 different brain regions, sampled every 2 h over 24 h, from the diurnal primate Papio Anubis. We found that the primate genome is vastly rhythmic with up to 67% of genes showing daily rhythms in expression. In addition to the diversity of transcripts in each tissue, the repertoire and phases of expression of cycling transcripts impart another layer of functional specialization to each tissue. Transcripts that are ubiquitously expressed and participate in essential cellular functions are more likely to exhibit rhythmic expression in a tissue-specific manner. At the whole organism level, the peak phases of rhythmic transcripts are largely clustered around dawn and dusk with a "quiescent period" during the first half of the night. Our findings also unveil a different temporal organization of central and peripheral tissues between diurnal and nocturnal animals. This study will contribute significantly to understanding circadian regulation of organs function and contribution of circadian rhythm disruption to diseases.
|
Less...
More...