A circadian enhancer mediates PER-dependent mRNA cycling in Drosophila melanogaster

Genes expressed under circadian-clock control are found in organisms ranging from prokaryotes to humans, In Drosophila melanogaster, the period (per) gene, which is required for clock function, is transcribed in a circadian manner, We have identified a circadian transcriptional enhancer within a 69-bp DNA fragment upstream of the pel gene, This enhancer drives high-amplitude mRNA cycling under light-dark-cycling or constant-dark conditions, and this activity is per protein (PER) dependent, An E-box sequence within this 69-bp fragment is necessary for high-level expression, but not for rhythmic expression, indicating that PER mediates circadian transcription through other sequences in this fragment.