E19 - Part 1: Fundamentals of cellular timekeeping with John O'Neill 247MUSCLE

From the 11th to the 13th of March 2024, the 247Muscle podcast has been invited to cover the ERATO UK - Japan Joint Symposium on Circadian rhythms & Sleep, which takes place at the University of Oxford. The symposium aims to promote research exchange and collaboration in the fields of sleep and circadian clocks between the UK and Japan. Prior to the symposium, one of the speakers, Dr. John O'Neill (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge), discussed his research focusing on the fundamentals of cellular timekeeping. In this first part, John explains the advantages of cells as a model to study circadian rhythms. He provides evidence of why we might consider questioning the current paradigm of how cells keep time, since his group for example demonstrated that even cells without nuclei show circadian rhythms. We further highlight a fascinating study in fibroblasts showing that wounds heal much faster when inflicted during the day vs. night. Lastly, John shares his knowledge of the vital protein kinase called mTOR, and its role in daily physiology.


More information about the ERATO UK - Japan Joint Symposium: https://sys-pharm.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp/erato-uk/



Chapters:

(0:00:28) Introducing ERATO UK/Japan Joint
Symposium

(0:03:15) This episode’s guest and content

(0:05:43) Dr. John O’Neill introduces himself

(0:07:46) Advantages of cells as a model to study
circadian rhythms

(0:11:11) Challenging our current understanding
on how cells keep time

(0:18:47) How do known time cues translate into
cellular signals?

(0:26:23) Almost or all cells in the human body
have a clock?

(0:29:01) Day-night rhythms in wound healing

(0:37:02) mTOR’s role in physiology

(0:43:23) Activators and inhibitors of mTOR

(0:45:41) Daily and intrinsic rhythms in mTOR’s
activity

(0:46:49) Outro