Background: Circadian clocks are self-sustaining oscillators that coordinate behavior and physiology over a 24 hour period,
achieving time-dependent homeostasis with the external environment. The molecular clocks driving circadian rhythmic
changes are based on intertwined transcriptional/translational feedback loops that combine with a range of environmental
and metabolic stimuli to generate daily internal programing. Understanding how biological rhythms are generated throughout
the body and the reasons for their dysregulation can provide avenues for temporally directed therapeutics.
Summary: In recent years, microRNAs have been shown to play important roles in the regulation of the circadian clock,
particularly in
Drosophila
, but also in some small animal and human studies. This review will summarize our current understanding
of the role of miRNAs during clock regulation, with a particular focus on the control of clock regulated gene
expression.
