Physiology of circadian rhythms

By essence, our group has a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach. Chronobiology is at the crossroads between neuroscience, physiology, metabolism, nutrition, system biology, genomics, proteomics, molecular biology and cellular biology. Consequently, all lab members from different horizons and fields of expertise work in close collaboration in an inclusive way to achieve the goals of the team.

Main discoveries from the Gachon group:

• Control of xenobiotic detoxification by the circadian clock, providing key knowledge for the development of chronopharmacology.
• Key description of the regulation of the metabolism of glucose, lipids and vitamins by the circadian clock and feeding rhythms in both mouse and human, providing a basis for translation of our research, in particular in the domain of chrononutrition.
• Comprehensive analysis of the regulation of liver gene expression and protein synthesis and transport by the circadian clock and feeding rhythms, as well as the involved molecular mechanisms.
• Description of the impact of the circadian clock, the microbiome and obesity on sexual maturation and growth hormone secretion, opening the way to new research studying their impact on children development and aging.

Completed Research Grants

• 2009-2010: Research grant from the French Association for Cancer Research

  "Circadian clock regulation of drug detoxification: impact on cancer treatments".
  This grant helped to develop the basic knowledge of chronopharacology.

• 2011-2013: Grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation

  “Influence of circadian clock-coordinated post-transcriptional regulations on mouse liver metabolism".
  This grant helped us to develop our basic knowledge of the regulation of mRNA translation and ribosome biogenesis by circadian and feeding rhythms.

• 2011-2015: European Research Council Starting Grant

  "Control of mouse metabolism by circadian clock-coordinated mRNA translation".
  This grant helped us to develop further our knowledge of the regulation of liver physiology by circadian and feeding rhythms, and its impact on global metabolism.

• Specific role of the circadian clocks in the different liver cell types and their impact on liver physiology and pathology
• Regulation of liver protein secretion and its regulation by circadian and feeding rhythms
• Role of the autonomic nervous system in the rhythmic regulation of animal physiology by light
• Impact of adverse light exposure on development and aging
• Role of the circadian clock on bacterial infection and inflammation

• Journal article: The mouse microbiome is required for sex-specific diurnal rhythms of gene expression and metabolism

  Weger B. D., Gobet C., Yeung J., Martin E., Jimenez S., Betrisey B., Berger B., Balvay A., Foussier A., Charpagne A., Boizet-Bonhoure B., Chou C. J., Naef F., and Gachon F. (2019) The mouse microbiome is required for sex-specific diurnal rhythmic gene expression and metabolism. Cell Metabolism, 29: 362-382. Doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2018.09.023

• Journal article: Diurnal oscillations in liver mass and cell size accompany ribosome assembly cycles

  Sinturel F., Gerber A., Mauvoisin D., Wang J., Gatfield D., Stubblefield J. J., Green C. B., Gachon F. and Schibler U. (2017) Global oscillations in liver mass and cell size accompany diurnal ribosome assembly cycles. Cell, 169: 651-663. doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2017.04.015

• Journal article: Nuclear proteomics uncovers diurnal regulatory landscapes in mouse liver

  Wang J., Mauvoisin D., Martin E., Atger F., Núñez Galindo A., Dayon L., Sizzano F., Palini A., Kussmann M., Waridel P., Quadroni M., Dulić V., Naef F., and Gachon F. (2017) Nuclear proteomics uncovers diurnal regulatory landscapes in mouse liver. Cell Metabolism, 25: 102-117. doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.10.003

• Journal article: Circadian and feeding rhythms differentially affect rhythmic mRNA transcription and translation in mouse liver

  Atger F., Gobet C., Marquis J., Martin E., Weger B., Lefebvre G., Descombes P., Naef F., and Gachon F. (2015). Circadian and feeding rhythms differentially affect rhythmic mRNA transcription and translation in mouse liver. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 112: E6579-E6588. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1515308112

• Journal article: Circadian clock-dependent and -independent rhythmic proteomes implement distinct diurnal functions in mouse liver

  Mauvoisin D., Wang J., Jouffe C., Martin E., Atger F., Waridel P., Quadroni M., Gachon F., and Naef F. (2014) Circadian clock-dependent and -independent rhythmic proteomes implement distinct diurnal functions in mouse liver, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 111: 167-172. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1314066111

• Journal article: The circadian clock coordinates ribosome biogenesis

  Jouffe C., Cretenet G., Symul L., Martin E., Atger F., Naef F., and Gachon F. (2013). The circadian clock coordinates ribosome biogenesis. PLoS Biology, 11: e1001455. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001455

• Journal article: The circadian PAR-domain basic leucine zipper transcription factors DBP, TEF, and HLF modulate basal and inducible xenobiotic detoxification

  Gachon F., Fleury Olela F., Schaad O., Descombes P., and Schibler U. (2006) The circadian PAR-domain basic leucine zipper transcription factors DBP, TEF, and HLF modulate basal and inducible xenobiotic detoxification. Cell Metabolism, 4: 25-36. doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2006.04.015

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