Abstract
Neurospora
has proven to be a tractable model system for understanding the molecular bases of circadian rhythms in eukary-otes. At the core of the circadian oscillatory system is a negative feedback loop in which two transcription factors, WC-1 and WC-2, act together to drive expression of the
frq
gene. WC-2 enters the promoter region of
frq
coincident with increases in
frq
expression and then exits when the cycle of transcription is over, whereas WC-1 can always be found there. FRQ promotes the phosphorylation of the WCs, thereby decreasing their activity, and phosphorylation of FRQ then leads to its turnover, allowing the cycle to reinitiate. By understanding the action of light and temperature on
frq
and FRQ expression, the molecular basis of circadian entrainment to environmental light and temperature cues can be understood, and recently a specific role for casein kinase 2 has been found in the mechanism underlying circadian temperature-compensation. These data promise molecular explanations for all of the canonical circadian properties of this model system, providing biochemical answers and regulatory logic that may be extended to more complex eukaryotes including humans.