Metabolic cycles as an underlying basis of biological oscillations

Abstract
What is the driving force behind periodic biological oscillations such as the circadian, hibernation and sleep–wake cycles? Temporal compartmentalization of metabolism has been shown in budding yeast, and might form the underlying basis for many of the rhythmic phenomena in biology. The evolutionary origins of periodic phenomena in biology, such as the circadian cycle, the hibernation cycle and the sleep–wake cycle, remain a mystery. We discuss the concept of temporal compartmentalization of metabolism that takes place during such cycles, and suggest that cyclic changes in a cell's metabolic state might be a fundamental driving force for such biological oscillations.