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	2002 Fellow			Claudio A. Masuda, Ph.D. Associate Professor Instituto de Bioquímica Médica UFRJ Prédio do CCS, bloco D, subsolo sala 11,Ilha do Fundão, CP 68041 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590 Brasil Tel: 55 21 2230-6899 Fax: 55 21 2270-8647 Email:Click here

Country: BRAZIL

Field: Biological Clocks

Research Interest: The circadian clock is the endogenous, internal timekeeper that controls many essential processes within all major groups of organisms. In higher plants, the importance of the circadian clock is reflected by the fact that its rhythm influences such diverse activities as gene transcription, gas exchange and transpiration, photosynthesis, plant growth and flowering. To uncover components of the plant circadian clock, a genetic screen utilizing a clock output reporter (CAB2::luciferase) was performed in Arabidopsis and it was found that mutants in the ZTL protein presents a longer period of the circadian clock. This protein has sequence homology with photoreceptors and proteins involved in controlled proteolysis. In Arabidopsis there are also two other proteins highly similar in sequence to ZTL named LKP2 and FKF1. Both FKF1 and LKP2 contribute to clock function and appear to have similar roles to ZTL. The goal of this project is to clarify the function of the ZTL family of proteins with respect to the circadian clock. Using LKP2 as a starting point, genetic and biochemical approaches will be used to investigate the putative activities of ZTL proteins as light sensors and as part of a protein degradation pathway.