BIO SCI 38 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Dactinomycin, Synaptic Plasticity, Memory Consolidation
10 Jan 2020
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Document Summary
A protein that regulates transcription (transcription factor) of specific genes. Creb gets activated when phosphorylated by specific kinases and helps drive transcription of downstream genes. Creb was shown to be necessary for synaptic plasticity in aplysia californica. Subsequently, creb was shown to be important for the maintenance, but not induction, of ltp in mouse hippocampus (effect similar to actinomycin d) Probing necessity of specific genes in memory consolidation using local knockdown. Antisense oligonucleotides- block translation of a specific gene in a specific brain region. They can be easily chemically synthesized and made to target any gene in any species. Blocking creb in hippocampus of adult rats impaired long - term, but not short - term, memory in the spatial water maze task. Creb protein levels were lowered by 50% at the time of training relative. Immediate-early gene (ieg) expression and memory to controls but returned to normal levels at testing.
