The zinc-binding protein chordc1 undergoes complex diurnal changes in mRNA expression during mouse brain development.

Diurnal changes in Chordc1 mRNA were recently described in mouse hypothalamus. This report shows that Chordc1 mRNA changes rhythmically throughout the entire adult brain with highest expression levels occurring around the dark-light transition. The rhythmic cycling pattern of Chordc1 was retained under various light-dark schedules and analysis of adult whole brain revealed diurnal patterns that were different than young animals (postnatal day (P) 6). Analysis of adult hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and cerebellum confirmed these observations and a comparison between adult and P6 animals using in situ hybridization indicated that Chordc1 underwent coordinated but altered diurnal changes in mRNA abundance during development. Further, a developmental profile of Chordc1 expression beginning at embryonic day 17 revealed a regional distribution of Chordc1 consistent with its adult pattern. These results suggest that Chordc1 mRNA is under complex and widespread transcriptional regulation during development and implicate Chordc1 in circadian and/or homeostatic mechanisms in mammalian brain.