Waveform distortion for temperature compensation and synchronization in circadian rhythms: An approach based on the renormalization group method

TL;DR

This paper uses the renormalization group method to analyze waveform distortions in circadian rhythms, revealing their role in temperature compensation and synchronization, supported by theoretical models and data reanalysis.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analytical approach linking waveform distortions to temperature compensation and synchronization in circadian rhythms.

Findings

Waveform distortions are crucial for temperature compensation.

Decreasing phase lengthens with temperature, maintaining period.

Reanalysis confirms waveform impact on synchronization.

Abstract

Numerous biological processes accelerate as temperatures increase, but the period of circadian rhythms remains constant, known as temperature compensation, while synchronizing with the 24h light-dark cycle. We theoretically explores the possible relevance of waveform distortions in circadian gene-protein dynamics to the temperature compensation and synchronization. Our analysis of the Goodwin model provides a coherent explanation of most of temperature compensation hypotheses. Using the renormalization group method, we analytically demonstrate that the decreasing phase of circadian protein oscillations should lengthen with increasing temperature, leading to waveform distortions to maintain a stable period. This waveform-period correlation also occurs in other oscillators like Lotka-Volterra and van der Pol models. A reanalysis of known data nicely confirms our findings on waveform distortion and its impact on synchronization range. Thus we conclude that circadian rhythm waveforms are fundamental to both temperature compensation and synchronization.