694-Cellular Basis for Mammalian Nocturnal-Diurnal Switch

Paper Talk · Mar 25, 2026 · 22m

This research identifies a cell-intrinsic, thermodynamic mechanism that governs the biological switch between nocturnal and diurnal activity in mammals. While the brain's master clock remains the same across species, peripheral cellular clocks in diurnal mammals have evolved to respond differently to daily cycles of temperature and osmolality. Specifically, diurnal cells are more robust and less sensitive to these environmental perturbations due to accelerated evolution in the mTOR and WNK signaling pathways. In contrast, nocturnal cells show a high level of sensitivity, with biochemical…