2013年3月19日
ニワトリのコケコッコーが概日時計に支配されているという論文が3月18日付のカレントバイオロジーに掲載されて、PNPが表紙を飾りました。 プレリリース: 新聞報道 (朝日、日経、中日各紙3月19日付朝刊)、NHKオンラインニュース(3月18日)、 ナショナルジオグラフィックニュース |
Circadian clock determines the timing of rooster crowing
Current Biology, Volume 23, Issue 6, R231-R233, 18 March 2013
Tsuyoshi Shimmura and Takashi Yoshimura |
Summary
Crowing of roosters is described by onomatopoetic terms such as ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’ (English), ‘ki-ke-ri-ki’ (German), and ‘ko-ke-kok-koh’ (Japanese). Rooster crowing is a symbol of the break of dawn in many countries. Indeed, crowing is frequently observed in the morning [1]. However, people also notice that crowing is sometimes observed at other times of day. Therefore, it is yet unclear whether crowing is under the control of an internal biological clock, or is simply caused by external stimuli. Here we show that predawn crowing is under the control of a circadian clock. Although external stimuli such as light and crowing by other individuals also induce roosters’ crowing, the magnitude of this induction is also regulated by a circadian clock.