A single gene can disrupt the sleep-wake cycle

Neurons in drosophila brain marked with green fluorescent protein. The most colored parts highlight the mushroom bodies, a key center for sleep regulation. UNIGE - A team from the University of Geneva has identified a gene that is essential for regulating the sleep-wake cycles of Drosophila. All living organisms are subject to an internal biological rhythm, which controls many physiological processes. In humans in particular, this internal clock follows a 24-hour cycle and occurs even in the absence of external triggers, such as changes in light or temperature. Using the genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster , a team from the University of Geneva , Switzerland, has discovered that the Nf1 gene is essential for the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. This gene is also involved in a common genetic disease in humans - neurofibromatosis - which leads to the formation of tumors in the nervous system.