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After analyzing DNA from sea creatures thought to resemble early vertebrates, researchers have pieced together a theory of pertaining to the origin of melatonin, which regulates the body’s 24 hour daily rythms. The AANAT enzyme, or timezyme, is essential for producing melatonin. One form of AANAT is found only in non-vertebrates, and appears to detoxify potentially hazardous compounds. The researchers contend that a second copy of the gene for producing AANAT appeared about 500 million years ago, when the original gene was duplicated. As vertebrate animals evolved, the second copy of the AANAT gene evolved, eventually specializing in producing melatonin. The theory also holds that the original copy of the AANAT gene later disappeared, and its function was taken over by other genes. In support of their theory, the researchers discovered that two animals thought to be like early vertebrates, the elephant shark and the ratfish, produce both the non-vertebrate and vertebrate forms of AANAT. Two other animals thought to have originated later in vertebrate evolution, the catshark and the sea lamprey, had only the vertebrate AANAT gene.