PER2 Gene
Introduction
<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">PER2 Gene</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>PER2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Name</td>
<td>Period Circadian Regulator 2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosome</td>
<td>2p13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene ID</td>
<td>[8864](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8864)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">OMIM ID</td>
<td>[603714](https://www.omim.org/entry/603714)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl ID</td>
<td>[ENSG00000132266](https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000132266)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt ID</td>
<td>[Q8BZD0](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q8BZD0/entry)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td>Familial Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Depression, Metabolic Disorders</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Categories</td>
<td>[Circadian Rhythm](/mechanisms/circadian-rhythm), [Transcriptional Regulation](/mechanisms/transcriptional-regulation), [Sleep Biology](/mechanisms/sleep-biology)</td>
</tr>
</table>
Per2 Gene is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
.infobox .infobox-gene [@per2019]
Overview
...PER2 Gene
Introduction
<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">PER2 Gene</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>PER2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Name</td>
<td>Period Circadian Regulator 2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosome</td>
<td>2p13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene ID</td>
<td>[8864](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8864)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">OMIM ID</td>
<td>[603714](https://www.omim.org/entry/603714)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl ID</td>
<td>[ENSG00000132266](https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000132266)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt ID</td>
<td>[Q8BZD0](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q8BZD0/entry)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td>Familial Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Depression, Metabolic Disorders</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Categories</td>
<td>[Circadian Rhythm](/mechanisms/circadian-rhythm), [Transcriptional Regulation](/mechanisms/transcriptional-regulation), [Sleep Biology](/mechanisms/sleep-biology)</td>
</tr>
</table>
Per2 Gene is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
.infobox .infobox-gene [@per2019]
Overview
PER2 (Period Circadian Regulator 2) is a key circadian clock gene that plays a fundamental role in maintaining circadian rhythms in mammals. As part of the core clock machinery, PER2 works in concert with PER1 and PER3 to generate the approximately 24-hour oscillations that regulate sleep, metabolism, hormone release, and numerous other physiological processes [1][2]. Mutations in PER2 have been linked to familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS) and have been associated with increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and mood disorders.
Function
PER2 is a core clock gene essential for circadian rhythm generation. It plays a critical role in the negative feedback loop of the molecular clock and links environmental cues to circadian timing[@per2020].
Core Clock Function
PER2 is central to the circadian transcriptional-translational feedback loop:
Driving Transcription: PER2, driven by CLOCK/BMAL1, accumulates in the cytoplasm
Complex Formation: PER2 partners with PER1 and CRY proteins
Nuclear Entry: PER-CRY complexes translocate to the nucleus
Feedback Inhibition: These complexes inhibit CLOCK/BMAL1 activityLight Entrainment
PER2 is particularly important for light entrainment:
- Light exposure during the night induces Per2 expression
- Links environmental light to the molecular clock
- Critical for jet lag adaptation
PER2 regulates metabolic genes:
- Controls expression of enzymes in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis
- Links circadian clock to metabolic homeostasis
- Obesity and metabolic syndrome associations
Role in Neurodegeneration
Alzheimer's Disease
PER2 dysregulation contributes to AD pathophysiology:
- Circadian rhythm disturbances precede cognitive decline[@per2019]
- PER2 expression altered in AD brain
- Amyloid deposition affects circadian [neurons](/entities/neurons)
- Sleep disruption accelerates pathology
Depression
PER2 is implicated in mood disorders:
- Altered PER2 in major depression
- Seasonal affective disorder connections
- Antidepressant effects on PER2 expression
Stroke Risk
Circadian variation in stroke:
- Stroke incidence peaks in early morning
- PER2 mutations affect stroke timing
- Chronotherapy implications
Disease Associations
- [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
- [Depression](/diseases/depression)
- [Sleep Disorders](/diseases/sleep-disorders)
- [Metabolic Syndrome](/diseases/metabolic-syndrome)
Sleep Disorders
PER2 mutations are strongly associated with familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS), characterized by early sleep times (6-9 PM) and early morning awakenings (2-4 AM). The S662G mutation in PER2 is a well-documented cause of FASPS, demonstrating the critical role of PER2 in regulating sleep timing [3][4].
PER2 plays a significant role in metabolic regulation, influencing glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism. Disruption of PER2 rhythms contributes to metabolic syndrome and obesity. Time-restricted feeding that aligns with circadian rhythms can improve metabolic outcomes in part through PER2-mediated mechanisms [5].
Cancer and Cell Cycle
PER2 functions as a tumor suppressor, with decreased expression observed in various cancers including breast, prostate, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The circadian clock disruption through PER2 dysregulation promotes cell proliferation and tumor growth [6].
Key Publications
[PER2 in circadian rhythm (2020)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.04.009)
[PER2 and metabolism (2019)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.03.015)
[Circadian genes in depression (2021)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33760412/)
[PER2 in Alzheimer's disease (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35081763/)Background
The study of Per2 Gene has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
External Links
- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) - Biomedical literature
- [Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative](https://adni.loni.usc.edu/) - Research data
- [Allen Brain Atlas](https://brain-map.org/) - Brain gene expression data
See Also
- [PER1 - Circadian regulator 1](/mechanisms/dian)
- [PER3 - Circadian regulator 3](/mechanisms/dian)
- [CLOCK - Circadian clock gene](/genes/clock)
- [Circadian Rhythm Pathway](/mechanisms/dian)
- [Sleep Mechanisms](/mechanisms)
References
[Unknown, PER2 clock function (2020) (2020)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.04.009)
[Unknown, PER2 metabolic regulation (2019) (2019)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.03.015)
[Unknown, PER2 in depression (2021) (2021)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33760412/)
[Unknown, PER2 in AD (2022) (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35081763/)Pathway Diagram
The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving PER2 Gene discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis:
Mermaid diagram (expand to render)