PROJECTS

Circadian Clocks in Cyanobacteria

Volunteer researcher at Cohen lab; 2019

published in Nature 2020

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-3110-1_9

Circadian rhythms, which are oscillations in biological activity that occur with ~24-h periodicity and driven by a circadian clock, function to anticipate daily environmental changes and can be found ubiquitously throughout nature. Cyanobacteria are the only prokaryotes known to have a rigorously tested and robust circadian clock. Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 is the paradigm for our understanding of circadian rhythms in prokaryotes. The KaiABC posttranslational oscillator drives 24-h rhythmicity in cyanobacteria and has been studied in exquisite detail. Here, the current understanding of the S. elongatus circadian oscillator, its synchronization with the environment, and its coordination with cellular activities is highlighted.