Prokaryotic and eukaryotic unicellular chronomics

Abstract

An impeccable time series, published in 1930, consisting of hourly observations on colony advance in a fluid culture of E. coli, was analyzed by a periodogram and power spectrum in 1961. While the original senior author had emphasized specifically periodicity with no estimate of period length, he welcomed further analyses. After consulting his technician, he knew of no environmental periodicity related to human schedules other than an hourly photography. A periodogram analysis in 1961 showed a 20.75-h period. It was emphasized that "… the circadian period disclosed is not of exactly 24-h length." Confirmations notwithstanding, a committee ruled out microbial circadian rhythms based on grounds that could have led to a different conclusion, namely first, the inability of some committee members to see (presumably by eyeballing) the rhythms in their own data, and second, what hardly follows, that there were "too many analyses" in the published papers. Our point in dealing with microbes and humans is that analyses are indispensable for quantification and for discovering a biologically novel spectrum of cyclicities, matching physical ones. The scope of circadian organization estimated in 1961 has become broader, including about 7-day, about half-yearly, about-yearly and ex-yearly and decadal periodisms, among others. Microbial circadians have become a field of their own with eyeballing, yet time-microscopy can quantify characteristics with their uncertainties and can assess broad chronomes (time structures) with features beyond circadians. As yet only suggestive differences between eukaryotes and prokaryotes further broaden the perspective and may lead to life's sites of origin and to new temporal aspects of life' s development as a chronomic tree by eventual rhythm dating in ontogeny and phylogeny.

Mitochondrial DNA and inflammatory diseases

“…In mammals is synthesized from tryptophan in many organs and tissues besides the pineal gland (Halberg et al 2005;Rensing and Ruoff 2002). Whereas the pineal melatonin is related to the synchronization of endogenous rhythms (Kennaway and Wright 2002;Reiter 1980), extrapineal melatonin is related to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection of the cell (Acuna et al 2011;AcunaCastroviejo et al 2001).…”

Rhythms in Plants

“…Circadian clocks occur in all organisms from cyanobacteria to humans; their presence in some other bacteria has been claimed, but these claims are still a matter of dispute (Halberg et al 2005). Several examples of eukaryotic unicellular organisms (Chlamydomonas, Tetrahymena, Paramecium, Gonyaulax (Lingulodinium) and yeasts) have provided excellent systems for study, as has also the mycelial fungus, Neurospora (Hurley et al 2014).…”

Chronopharmacology and Antimicrobial Therapeutics

“…Similarly, rhythmic (circadian and ultradian) gene expression was identified in other photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter speroides [185]. However, up to now, no circadian rhythm has been reported in prokaryotes involved in infectious diseases in humans or animals [186]. This means that no predictable variation may be expected for any physiological variable of the target microorganisms; therefore, manipulating the dosing time will not affect bactericidal activity of the antimicrobial agent.…”