Abstract
Levels of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (NAT: acetyl CoA:arylamine N-acetyltransferase; EC 2.1.1.5.) activity in the chick pineal gland exhibit a marked diurnal variation in birds kept under a diurnal cycle of illumination1–4. Activity begins to rise rapidly at the start of the dark phase of the cycle and reaches maximum levels at mid-dark phase about 25-fold greater than the minimum basal level at mid-light phase. Thereafter, the level of activity declines to the basal level about the start of the light phase. This diurnal cycle in chick pineal NAT activity found in vivo has recently been reproduced in vitro with intact glands incubated in organ culture4–7. The mechanism of the ‘biological clock’ which regulates these variations in level of chick pineal NAT activity is unknown. However, I now report that chick pineal glands cultured under a diurnal cycle of illumination exhibit a diurnal cycle in content of cyclic GMP which roughly parallels the cycle in NAT activity. In contrast, there was no correlation between variations in pineal content of cyclic AMP and in level of NAT activity.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Binkley, S., Macbride, S. E., Klein, D. C. & Ralph, C. L. Science 181, 273–275 (1973).
Binkley, S. & Geller, E. B. J. comp. Physiol. 99 A, 67–70 (1975).
Fraser, I. H. & Wainwright, S. D. Can. J. Biochem. 54, 103–109 (1976).
Wainwright, S. D. & Wainwright, L. K. Can. J. Biochem. 57, 700–709.
Binkley, S. A., Riebman, J. B. & Reilly, K. B. Science 202, 1198–1201 (1978).
Kasal, C. A., Menaker, M. & Perez-Polo, J. R. Science 203, 656–658 (1979).
Deguchi, T. Science 203, 1245–1247 (1979).
Wainwright, S. D. & Wainwright, L. K. (in preparation).
Zenser, T. V., Craven, P. A., de Robertis, F. R. & David, B. B. Archs Biochem. Biophys. 178, 598–606 (1977).
Binkley, S. Am. Zool. 16, 57–65 (1976).
Wainwright, S. D. & Wainwright, L. K. Can. J. Biochem. 56, 685–690 (1978).
Morgan, J. F., Morton, H. J. & Parker, R. C. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med. 73, 1–8 (1950).
Wainwright, S. D. Can. J. Biochem. 55, 415–423 (1977).
Frandsen, E. K. & Krishna, G. Life Sci. 18, 529–542 (1976).
Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L. & Randall, R. J. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951).
Deguchi, T. J. Neurochem. 33, 45–51 (1979).
Axelrod, J. Science 184, 1341–1348 (1974).
Klein, D. C. in The Hypothalamus (eds Reichlin, S., Baldessarini, R. J. & Martin, J. B.) 303–326 (Raven, New York, 1978).
Binkley, S. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 64 A, 201–206 (1979).
Klein, D. C. & Berg, G. R. Adv. biochem. psych. Pharmac. 3, 241–263 (1970).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wainwright, S. Diurnal cycles in serotonin acetyltransferase activity and cyclic GMP content of cultured chick pineal glands. Nature 285, 478–480 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/285478a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/285478a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.