Quantitative performance metrics for robustness in circadian rhythms

Quantitative performance metrics for robustness in circadian rhythms

MOTIVATION Sensitivity analysis provides key measures that aid in unraveling the design principles responsible for the robust performance of biological networks. Such metrics allow researchers to investigate comprehensively model performance, to develop more realistic models, and to design informative experiments. However, sensitivity analysis of oscillatory systems focuses on period and amplit...

KaiC intersubunit communication facilitates robustness of circadian rhythms in cyanobacteria

The cyanobacterial circadian clock is the only model clock to have been reconstituted in vitro. KaiC, the central clock component, is a homohexameric ATPase with autokinase and autophosphatase activities. Changes in phosphorylation state have been proposed to switch KaiC's activity between autokinase and autophosphatase. Here we analyse the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of KaiC'...

Circadian rhythms, sleep, and performance in space.

Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) vision "to extend humanity's reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond" to become a reality. Field data have demonstrated that sleep times and performance of crewmembers can be compromised by extended duty days, irregular work schedule...

Circadian Rhythms in Fatigue, Alertness and Performance

Deterministic and Stochastic Models Analyze the Robustness of Circadian Rhythms

The Drosophila circadian oscillator shows a robust property to environmental changes, internal variations, and fluctuations, where two interlocked negative feedback loops play a major role for oscillation [1, 2]. The PER-TIM loop is activated by dCLK-CYC and repressed by PER-TIM, whereas the dCLK loop is repressed by dCLK-CYC and activated by PER-TIM. Not only the molecular architecture, but al...