Meeting Abstract
Circadian rhythms are controlled by a set of clock genes which include clock, period, cryptochrome 1 (cry1), and cryptochrome 2 (cry2). The protein sequences for these circadian genes have been previously determined for the mollusk Melibe leonina, which expresses circadian rhythms of locomotion. These protein sequences were used for the development of custom antibodies, which were used in this study. CLOCK immunoreactivity was consistently seen in 10 neurons, located in the buccal and cerebropleural ganglia. PERIOD immunoreactivity was observed in 6 neurons in the cerebropleural and pedal ganglia. Two neurons near the midline of the cerebropleural ganglia exhibited CRY1 immunoreactivity, and these cells also co-localized with CLOCK. Together, results from these custom antibodies are beginning to elucidate the putative circadian clock in Melibe.
