{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,28]],"date-time":"2026-02-28T04:23:18Z","timestamp":1772252598579,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,2,6]],"date-time":"2019-02-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1549411200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["No. 031342"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["No. 031342"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Genes"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Melatonin, the hormone of darkness, is a peculiar molecule found in most living organisms. Emerging as a potent broad-spectrum antioxidant, melatonin was repurposed into extra roles such as the modulation of circadian and seasonal rhythmicity, affecting numerous aspects of physiology and behaviour, including sleep entrainment and locomotor activity. Interestingly, the pineal gland\u2014the melatonin synthesising organ in vertebrates\u2014was suggested to be absent or rudimentary in some mammalian lineages, including Cetacea. In Cetacea, pineal regression is paralleled by their unique bio-rhythmicity, as illustrated by the unihemispheric sleeping behaviour and long-term vigilance. Here, we examined the genes responsible for melatonin synthesis (Aanat and Asmt) and signalling (Mtnr1a and Mtnr1b) in 12 toothed and baleen whale genomes. Based on an ample genomic comparison, we deduce that melatonin-related gene modules are eroded in Cetacea.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/genes10020121","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,2,6]],"date-time":"2019-02-06T11:51:12Z","timestamp":1549453872000},"page":"121","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":25,"title":["The Singularity of Cetacea Behavior Parallels the Complete Inactivation of Melatonin Gene Modules"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"M\u00f3nica","family":"Lopes-Marques","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CIIMAR\/CIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2412-8730","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raquel","family":"Ruivo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIIMAR\/CIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4119-2462","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds Q.","family":"Alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIIMAR\/CIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"},{"name":"FCUP\u2014Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4285-3672","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nelson","family":"Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIIMAR\/CIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6857-7581","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andr\u00e9 M.","family":"Machado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIIMAR\/CIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"given":"L. Filipe C.","family":"Castro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIIMAR\/CIMAR\u2014Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"},{"name":"FCUP\u2014Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,2,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jphysparis.2011.07.001","article-title":"Melatonin: Both master clock output and internal time-giver in the circadian clocks network","volume":"105","author":"Pevet","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. 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