Biological complexity: mitochondria on circadian timers (Introduction)

by David Turell , Saturday, March 19, 2016, 23:50 (3171 days ago) @ David Turell

Mitochondria have peaks of activity for sugar and four hours into the day and fats in the evening:-https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160316113353.htm-"Dr. Gad Asher of the Weizmann Institute's Biomolecular Sciences Department, who led the study, explains that circadian clocks, which are found in living things from bacteria to flies and humans, control our rhythms of sleep, activity, eating and metabolism. "In a sense," he says, "it's like a daily calendar, telling the body what to expect, so it can prepare for the future and operate optimally."-***-"Among the essential proteins the researchers uncovered was a key enzyme that determines the rate of sugar use for energy production. This protein reaches its maximal amount four hours into daylight, suggesting that the mitochondria's capacity for burning sugar peaks around this time, as well. To check, the researchers provided mitochondria with sugar and found that at around hour four, respiration and glucose utilization were indeed at their highest. They also found that the protein responsible for the entry of fatty acids into the mitochondria only peaks at the eighteenth hour and, again, tests showed fat processing was optimal at the same time.-***-"In mice with a genetic mutation that interferes with their overall biological clocks, the amounts of these proteins did not change over the course of the day, and the decomposition activity of fats and sugars was steady throughout."-Comment: Circadian clocks are set by the 24 hour day where the person lives. An automatic activity. I wonder how Darwinian evolution developed this. Not by hunt and peck.