RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Revving Up the Circadian Clock JF Science's STKE JO Sci. STKE FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP tw73 OP tw73 DO 10.1126/stke.3232006tw73 VO 2006 IS 323 YR 2006 UL http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2006/323/tw73.abstract AB In mammals, circadian rhythms regulate many aspects of behavior and physiology, including sleep-wake cycles and metabolism. Disruption of these rhythms is associated with certain psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder. Yin et al. describe a potential molecular link between circadian clock control and bipolar disorder. In cultured fibroblasts, a key negative regulator of clock gene expression, the Rev-erbα nuclear receptor, was rapidly degraded after exposure to lithium, which is used in treating bipolar disorder. This destabilization of Rev-erbα led to activation of clock genes. L. Yin, J. Wang, P. S. Klein, M. A. Lazar, Nuclear receptor Rev-erbα is a critical lithium-sensitive component of the circadian clock. Science 311, 1002-1005 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text]