Pancreatic β cell enhancers regulate rhythmic transcription of genes controlling insulin secretion

Abstract

In healthy people, blood glucose levels are maintained within a narrow range by several physiological mechanisms. Key among them is the release of the hormone insulin by pancreatic β cells, which occurs when glucose levels rise after a meal. In response to insulin, blood glucose is taken up by tissues that need fuel, such as muscle. β cells can anticipate the body's varying demand for insulin throughout the 24-hour day because they have their own circadian clock. How this clock controls insulin release has been unclear. Perelis et al. now show that the activity of transcriptional enhancers specific to β cells regulates the rhythmic expression of genes involved in the assembly and trafficking of insulin secretory vesicles (see the Perspective by Dibner and Schibler).

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Nov 06, 2015
Source ID
10.1126/science.aac4250

Entities

People

  • Aaron R Dinner
  • Akihiko Taguchi
  • Alan L. Hutchison
  • Amanda L. Allred
  • Biliana Marcheva
  • Chiaki Omura
  • Christopher A. Bradfield
  • Clara Bien Peek
  • Grant D Barish
  • Heekyung Hong
  • Joseph Bass
  • Kathryn Moynihan Ramsey
  • Mark Perelis
  • Matthew J. Schipma
  • Wenyu Huang

Organizations

  • Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • JDRF
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences
  • National Institute on Aging
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Exercise and Sports Science.
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Neuroscience