Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:06:32 BST CiteULike: morven's Zimonjic http://www.citeulike.org/user/morven/author/Zimonjic CiteULike.org en-gb Copyright © 2004-2008 citeulike.org http://www.citeulike.org/user/morven/article/1572465 <i>Brain Res Mol Brain Res, Vol. 63, No. 1. (10 December 1998), pp. 189-197.</i><br /><br />Pineal melatonin synthesis (serotonin --> N-acetylserotonin --> melatonin) is severely compromised in most inbred strains of mice, in many cases because serotonin is not acetylated by serotonin N-acetyltransferase (arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase, AANAT). We have found that in the C57BL/6J strain, AANAT mRNA encodes a severely truncated AANAT protein, because a pseudo-exon containing a stop codon is spliced in. This is the first identification of a natural mutation which knocks down melatonin synthesis. The decrease in melatonin signaling may have been a selective factor in the development of laboratory strains of mice because melatonin can inhibit reproduction and modify circadian rhythmicity. Natural melatonin 'knockdown' in C57BL/6J mice: rare mechanism truncates serotonin N-acetyltransferase. PH Roseboom MA Namboodiri DB Zimonjic NC Popescu IR Rodriguez JA Gastel DC Klein Brain Res Mol Brain Res, Vol. 63, No. 1. (10 December 1998), pp. 189-197. 2007-08-17T12:59:30-00:00 1998 Brain Res Mol Brain Res 0169-328X 63 1 189 197 melatonin