Circadian clocks orchestrate daily activity patterns and free running periods of locomotor activity under constant conditions. While the first often depends on temperature, the latter is temperature-compensated over a physiologically relevant range. Here, we explored the locomotor activity of the temperate housefly Musca domestica Under low temperatures, activity was centered round a major and broad afternoon peak, while high temperatures resulted in activity throughout the photophase with a mild midday depression, which was especially pronounced in males exposed to long photoperiods. While period (per) mRNA peaked earlier under low temperatures, no temperature-dependent splicing of the last per 3' end intron was identified. The expression of timeless, vrille, and Par domain protein 1 was also influenced by temperature, each in a different manner. Our data indicated that comparable behavioral trends in daily activity distribution have evolved in Drosophila melanogaster and M. domestica, yet the behaviors of these two species are orchestrated by different molecular mechanisms.

• Keywords
• circadian clock genes, locomotor activity, mRNA splicing, temperature compensation of circadian rhythms, transcription,
• MeSH
• 3' Untranslated Regions genetics   MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Circadian Rhythm genetics   MeSH
• Drosophila melanogaster genetics   MeSH
• Exons genetics   MeSH
• Photoperiod MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Genes, Insect * MeSH
• Introns genetics   MeSH
• Physical Conditioning, Animal MeSH
• Cryptochromes genetics   MeSH
• RNA, Messenger genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Houseflies MeSH
• Motor Activity MeSH
• Promoter Regions, Genetic genetics   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation MeSH
• RNA Splicing genetics   MeSH
• Temperature * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 3' Untranslated Regions MeSH
• Cryptochromes MeSH
• RNA, Messenger MeSH