The arrival of the age of aviation brought with it numerous benefits to humanity, but also some harm. And among these damages is he jet lagthe jet lag that we feel when moving to a distant meridian.

CK1δ. Now, a team of researchers has found new details about the biochemistry that regulates our adaptation to new time zones. Details that Could you help us find a solution? to this annoying phenomenon, but it could also help us with other related problems.

The key is in a protein called casein kinase 1 delta (CK1δ) that plays an important role in the regulation of our “internal clock”: circadian rhythms. It does this by marking other proteins involved in adjusting this biological clock, explains the team responsible for the study.

This tagging process also affects CK1δ. This protein can also be marked, which allows us to alter its ability to regulate the rest of the proteins involved in adjusting our internal clock.

The tail of the protein. Two variations of the protein are known, δ1 and δ2, which differ in a sequence of 16 amino acids in the tail of the protein, a segment called the C-terminal tail. Although these 16 blocks represent a small section in this protein formed by more than 400 amino acidsboth versions differ significantly in their functionality.

We knew that marking this protein decreased its ability to adjust our biological clock. Now, thanks to the new study we know better the biochemical mechanisms involved in the process. I mean, now we have an idea why.

Spectroscopy and spectrometry. To answer the question, the team turned to advanced techniques in spectroscopy and spectrometry to get closer to these tails. They thus discovered that the way in which these proteins are marked is determined by the specific sequences they show in their tails, they explain.

Details of the study were published in an article in the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

“Our findings point to three specific points in the tail of CK1δ where phosphate groups can attach, and these points are crucial for controlling the activity of the protein. When these spots are marked with a phosphate group, CK1δ becomes less active, meaning it doesn’t influence our circadian rhythms as efficiently. Using high-resolution analysis we were able to pinpoint the precise points involved. And that is very exciting,” Carrie Partch, co-author of the study, explained in a press release.

More than a watch. The team highlights that the finding has implications beyond helping us solve the problem of time adjustment. The CK1δ protein plays very diverse roles, for example in cell division, in the development of cancer and in some neurodegenerative diseases. Of course, knowing how the protein works could also help us fight some sleep disorders.

Future steps. The team also announced what the next steps in their investigation will be. Its intention is to evaluate how external factors such as diet can affect the CK1δ labeling process. This, they believe, could open the way to the development of “practical solutions.” for problems like jet lag.

Image | SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS / Jon Philpott, Rajesh Narasimamurthy and David Virshup