BIO SCI 38 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Anisomycin, Dactinomycin, Synaptic Plasticity
10 Jan 2020
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New gene expression is required to stabilize ltp. This gene expression occurs in two waves: 1)the first involves translation of pre-existing mrnas at dendritic spines. 2)the second requires transcription of new mrnas, which then get translated at active synapses. Consolidation of both ltp & long-term memory require new gene expression. Ltp involves synaptic structural changes that require synthesis of specific new genes. Ltp requires translation and transcription, just like long-term memory. Anisomycin: blocks translation (converting mrna to protein) Actinomycin d: blocks transcription (converting dna to mrna) Note: these drugs do not block ltp induction, only its maintenance. Note: if these drugs are applied 30 or min after ltp induction, they have no effect. Synapses are strengthened and maintained in stages. Changes in synaptic strength that support ltp evolve in stages that can be identified by the unique molecular processes that support each stage.
