mTOR signaling regulates central and peripheral circadian clock function

Ramanathan C, Kathale ND, Liu D, Lee C, Freeman DA, Hogenesch JB, Cao R, Liu AC · 2018 · PLoS Genetics · Atlas ID RAM2018

What this study shows

mTOR sets how fast and how strongly the circadian clock ticks. Inhibiting mTOR lengthened the clock period and flattened its amplitude; activating it shortened the period and raised the amplitude, in cells, in ex vivo brain (SCN) and liver clocks, and in mTOR heterozygous mice, whose locomotor rhythm ran longer. The study starts from the observation that mTOR activity itself oscillates over 24 hours in many tissues.

Abstract

ShowHide

The circadian clock coordinates physiology and metabolism. mTOR (mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin) is a major intracellular sensor that integrates nutrient and energy status to regulate protein synthesis, metabolism, and cell growth. Previous studies have identified a key role for mTOR in regulating photic entrainment and synchrony of the central circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	A Animal model Marked A because it is an animal intervention or observation study measuring an organismal outcome (model: Hepatocyte and adipocyte clock models; Tsc2-/- fibroblasts; ex vivo SCN and liver; mTOR heterozygous mice); the code names the system studied -- animal work can be rigorous and still not be human data.
Study type	4 - Animal Study
Model system	Hepatocyte and adipocyte clock models; Tsc2-/- fibroblasts; ex vivo SCN and liver; mTOR heterozygous mice
Journal	PLoS Genetics
Year	2018
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-09-23
Source	DOI 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007369 · PMID 29750810 · Free full text (PMC5965903)

Extracted findings

Intervention	Genetic and pharmacological mTOR inhibition or activation
Target	mTOR; core clock proteins (CRY1, BMAL1, CLOCK)
Model	Mouse (cells, ex vivo tissue, whole animal)
Effect	mTOR inhibition lengthens circadian period and dampens amplitude; activation does the opposite

In the Atlas

Cite this paper

ShowHide

Ramanathan, C., Kathale, N. D., Liu, D., Lee, C., Freeman, D. A., Hogenesch, J. B., Cao, R., & Liu, A. C. (2018). mTOR signaling regulates central and peripheral circadian clock function. PLoS Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1007369

@article{RAM2018,
  author       = {Ramanathan, C. and Kathale, N. D. and Liu, D. and Lee, C. and Freeman, D. A. and Hogenesch, J. B. and Cao, R. and Liu, A. C.},
  title        = {{mTOR signaling regulates central and peripheral circadian clock function}},
  journal      = {PLoS Genetics},
  year         = {2018},
  doi          = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1007369},
  note         = {PMID: 29750810},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record RAM2018) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/RAM2018/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_RAM2018,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record RAM2018},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/RAM2018/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}