Transcriptome profiling of light-induced gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of T7 and T24 cycle-housed mice

To investigate changes in SCN photic responsiveness after exposure to an ultradian light cycle (T7 cycle; alternating 3.5-hour periods of light and darkness), we performed RNA-sequencing on isolated SCN samples obtained from T24 and T7 light cycle-housed mice that received a light pulse during their active phases. Our results indicate that the SCN becomes refractory to light induction of immediate-early gene expression after exposure to the T7 light cycle. Gene expression profiling in n=3 (T24) and n=4 (T7) biological replicates of SCN tissue (3 individual SCN samples pooled per biological replicate) harvested from T24 or T7 cycle-housed mice after exposure to a light pulse during their active phase.