Our circadian clock (sometimes called circadian rhythms) controls all kinds of things in our body, like sleeping or waking. Issues with the circadian clock has been linked to some sleep disorders, metabolic syndromes, and even cancer. A team of researchers from various Japanese universities and medical schools found that the small molecules, KL101 and TH301 can lengthen the circadian clock period. These small molecules are the first compounds that can target CRY1 and CRY2 (components of the circadian clock).
The researchers used x-ray crystallography, which is simply a way to study the structure of crystals, to figure out how KL101 and TH301 bind to CRY1 and CRY2. They had to conduct additional studies to understand the selectivity mechanism of CRY1/CRY2. They found that he disordered tail regions of CRY1/CRY2 proteins impart compound selectivity and are necessary for the differentiation of brown adipocytes (cells that specialize in fat storage that are found in connective tissues). The researchers expect that KL101 and TH301 could provide treatment to patients suffering from obesity.
The results of the study are published in the journal, Nature Chemical Biology.