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SUMMARY:Shedding light on lunar rhythms - Kristin Tessmar-Raible\, Max F. 
 Perutz Laborarories/ University of Vienna\, Austria
DTSTART:20121107T130000Z
DTEND:20121107T140000Z
UID:TALK40692@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Vera Hunnekuhl
DESCRIPTION:Shedding light on lunar rhythms\n\nSince the dawn of life the 
 marine ecosystem is governed by a multitude of environmental cycles. In ac
 cordance with these cycles\, many marine species synchronize their time of
  reproduction with the photoperiod\, the lunar cycle and to a specific tim
 e of the day. Yet\, despite the fundamental nature of these light-controll
 ed ‘marine’ rhythms\, we have very only a limited knowledge about thei
 r molecular basis.\nThe reproductive cycles of the annelid Platynereis dum
 erilii are synchronized by the interplay of a circadian and a circalunar c
 lock\, which in nature are synchronized by sunlight and moonlight\, respec
 tively. We have started to dissect the molecular mechanisms that govern li
 ght-dependent circadian and circalunar rhythmicity in the marine annelid P
 latynereis dumerilii. Our analysis covers three areas: \n(i) the measureme
 nt of light spectra and intensities that the animals receive in their natu
 ral environments over the lunar cycle.\n(ii) the characterization of candi
 date lunar light sensors and their spectral sensitivity\n(iii) the analysi
 s of circadian clock components and their regulation under light regimes t
 hat mimic different phases of the lunar cycle.\nOur results suggest that l
 unar and circadian clocks are molecularly independent\, but interconnected
 \, and provide new molecular entry points into the study of light-dependen
 t marine rhythms and their evolution.\n
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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