Researchers have said that a single amino acid is responsible for regulating the mechanism for our internal biological clocks. Though the process for our body clocks involves complex genes, a single amino acid is at the core of the control center.
They hope that this discovery will lead to more effective drugs to combat sleep disorders and other related ailments. This study was conducted at the University of California and has shown up in the journal called “Nature.”
Paolo Sassone-Corsi, the lead researcher said: “Because the triggering action is so specific, it appears to be a perfect target for compounds that could regulate this activity.
“It is always amazing to see how molecular control is so precise in biology.”
The biological clock is a very sensitive mechanism able to anticipate and react to changes in the environment. It regulates a host of body functions such as: sleep patterns, behavior, and metabolism.
Disruption of the biological clock can have a big influence on human health. It has been linked to insomnia, depression, heart disease, and other disorders.
The gene is called CLOCK. CLOCK and its partner BMAL1 are responsible for the human biological clock. Though the latest study, a single amino acid in a protein produced by BMAL1 goes through a modification. That modification is the catalyst of chain of events with the body’s rhythms.
According to researchers, if modification is impaired, the whole system is undermined. At this moment, they are testing antibodies that can target its activity.