The blood-brain barrier regulates sleep via Moody G protein-coupled receptor signaling.

Sleep is vital for most animals, yet its mechanism and function remain unclear. We found that permeability of the BBB (blood-brain barrier)-the organ required for the maintenance of homeostatic levels of nutrients, ions, and other molecules in the brain-is modulated by sleep deprivation (SD) and can cell-autonomously effect sleep changes. We observed increased BBB permeability in known sleep mutants as well as in acutely sleep-deprived animals.

Chronic social isolation signals starvation and reduces sleep in Drosophila.

Social isolation and loneliness have potent effects on public health. Research in social psychology suggests that compromised sleep quality is a key factor that links persistent loneliness to adverse health conditions. Although experimental manipulations have been widely applied to studying the control of sleep and wakefulness in animal models, how normal sleep is perturbed by social isolation is unknown.

CK1/Doubletime activity delays transcription activation in the circadian clock.

In the circadian clock, Period (PER) and Timeless (TIM) proteins inhibit Clock-mediated transcription of and genes until PER is degraded by Doubletime/CK1 (DBT)-mediated phosphorylation, establishing a negative feedback loop. Multiple regulatory delays within this feedback loop ensure ~24 hr periodicity. Of these delays, the mechanisms that regulate delayed PER degradation (and Clock reactivation) remain unclear.

miR-124 Regulates Diverse Aspects of Rhythmic Behavior in Drosophila.

Unlabelled: Circadian clocks enable organisms to anticipate and adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions. Despite substantial knowledge of central clock machineries, we have less understanding of how the central clock's behavioral outputs are regulated. Here, we identify Drosophila miR-124 as a critical regulator of diurnal activity.