The multiple roles of per in the Drosophila circadian clock

The emerging picture of per is that of a temporally regulated, temperature compensated, transcriptional repressor that controls its own circadian expression and, when expressed in the appropriate cells, the circadian behavior of the animal.

Abstract

Abstract Behavioral genetic studies have shown that the period (per) gene influences many aspects of Drosophila circadian behavior. From these studies, as well as the molecular neuroanatomical, biochemical and evolutionary studies reviewed here, the emerging picture of per is that of a temporally regulated, temperature compensated, transcriptional repressor that controls its own circadian expression and, when expressed in the appropriate cells, the circadian behavior of the animal.