Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.


Logo for

Science 318 (5857): 1786-1789

Copyright © 2007 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Rev-erb{alpha}, a Heme Sensor That Coordinates Metabolic and Circadian Pathways

Lei Yin,1 Nan Wu,1 Joshua C. Curtin,1 Mohammed Qatanani,1 Nava R. Szwergold,1 Robert A. Reid,2 Gregory M. Waitt,2 Derek J. Parks,3 Kenneth H. Pearce,3 G. Bruce Wisely,3 Mitchell A. Lazar1*

Abstract: The circadian clock temporally coordinates metabolic homeostasis in mammals. Central to this is heme, an iron-containing porphyrin that serves as prosthetic group for enzymes involved in oxidative metabolism as well as transcription factors that regulate circadian rhythmicity. The circadian factor that integrates this dual function of heme is not known. We show that heme binds reversibly to the orphan nuclear receptor Rev-erb{alpha}, a critical negative component of the circadian core clock, and regulates its interaction with a nuclear receptor corepressor complex. Furthermore, heme suppresses hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression and glucose output through Rev-erb{alpha}–mediated gene repression. Thus, Rev-erb{alpha} serves as a heme sensor that coordinates the cellular clock, glucose homeostasis, and energy metabolism.

1 Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism; Department of Medicine; and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
2 Department of Computational and Structural Chemistry, Molecular Discovery Research, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709–3398, USA.
3 Department of Biological Reagents and Assay Development, Molecular Discovery Research, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709–3398, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lazar{at}mail.med.upenn.edu


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Fat circadian biology.
J. M. Gimble and Z. E. Floyd (2009)
J Appl Physiol 107, 1629-1637
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Clock genes and metabolic disease.
B. Marcheva, K. M. Ramsey, A. Affinati, and J. Bass (2009)
J Appl Physiol 107, 1638-1646
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Glucocorticoid regulation of the circadian clock modulates glucose homeostasis.
A. Y.-L. So, T. U. Bernal, M. L. Pillsbury, K. R. Yamamoto, and B. J. Feldman (2009)
PNAS 106, 17582-17587
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Bile acids: regulation of synthesis.
J. Y. L. Chiang (2009)
J. Lipid Res. 50, 1955-1966
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Negative feedback maintenance of heme homeostasis by its receptor, Rev-erb{alpha}.
N. Wu, L. Yin, E. A. Hanniman, S. Joshi, and M. A. Lazar (2009)
Genes & Dev. 23, 2201-2209
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evidence of carbon monoxide-mediated phase advancement of the yeast metabolic cycle.
B. P. Tu and S. L. McKnight (2009)
PNAS 106, 14293-14296
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Rev-erb{alpha}2 mRNA Encodes a Stable Protein with a Potential Role in Circadian Clock Regulation.
J. Rambaud, G. Triqueneaux, I. Masse, B. Staels, V. Laudet, and G. Benoit (2009)
Mol. Endocrinol. 23, 630-639
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nuclear receptor-like transcription factors in fungi.
A. M. Naar and J. K. Thakur (2009)
Genes & Dev. 23, 419-432
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Circadian Clock in Arabidopsis Roots Is a Simplified Slave Version of the Clock in Shoots.
A. B. James, J. A. Monreal, G. A. Nimmo, C. L. Kelly, P. Herzyk, G. I. Jenkins, and H. G. Nimmo (2008)
Science 322, 1832-1835
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Minireview: The Nuclear Hormone Receptor Family Round the Clock.
M. Teboul, F. Guillaumond, A. Grechez-Cassiau, and F. Delaunay (2008)
Mol. Endocrinol. 22, 2573-2582
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ligand modulation of REV-ERB{alpha} function resets the peripheral circadian clock in a phasic manner.
Q. J. Meng, A. McMaster, S. Beesley, W. Q. Lu, J. Gibbs, D. Parks, J. Collins, S. Farrow, R. Donn, D. Ray, et al. (2008)
J. Cell Sci. 121, 3629-3635
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Adopting New Orphans into the Family of Metabolic Regulators.
S. Hummasti and P. Tontonoz (2008)
Mol. Endocrinol. 22, 1743-1753
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Novel Heme-Regulatory Motif Mediates Heme-Dependent Degradation of the Circadian Factor Period 2.
J. Yang, K. D. Kim, A. Lucas, K. E. Drahos, C. S. Santos, S. P. Mury, D. G. S. Capelluto, and C. V. Finkielstein (2008)
Mol. Cell. Biol. 28, 4697-4711
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Nuclear Receptor Rev-erb{alpha} Is a Liver X Receptor (LXR) Target Gene Driving a Negative Feedback Loop on Select LXR-Induced Pathways in Human Macrophages.
C. Fontaine, E. Rigamonti, B. Pourcet, H. Duez, C. Duhem, J.-C. Fruchart, G. Chinetti-Gbaguidi, and B. Staels (2008)
Mol. Endocrinol. 22, 1797-1811
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nuclear Hormone Receptors for Heme: REV-ERB{alpha} and REV-ERB{beta} Are Ligand-Regulated Components of the Mammalian Clock.
T. P. Burris (2008)
Mol. Endocrinol. 22, 1509-1520
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »

To Advertise     Find Products


Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882