GENE REGULATION IN AUDITORY LEARNING

描述（改编自摘要）：这是第一个应用程序 该奖项旨在研究基因组，分子和细胞的变化， 鸟类大脑中听觉记忆的获得。 本申请 是基于观察到当鸣鸟接触到一本小说时 同种歌曲，某些立即早期基因（即，ZENK和c-jun）是 在被称为尾侧新纹状体（NCM）的前脑区域中诱导。 此外，反复接触一首歌会导致长期的 NCM神经元对这首歌的听觉反应的习惯化， 电生理测量;这种习惯化的持续性 需要新的蛋白质和mRNA的合成。 首席研究员寻求 来研究由以下因素引发的基因组反应的功能意义： 歌曲和它的可能关系的长期修改的NCM 细胞的听觉反应特性。 具体目标是：（1） 进一步表征ZENK响应于歌曲的表达，包括 NCM中表达ZENK的细胞的身份;（2）寻找其他基因 在NCM中，当RNA合成被抑制时， 表明是适应所必需的;（3）表征和测试一种方法， 阻断体内某些鸣唱相关基因的表达;（4）确定 鸣唱相关基因在由鸣唱触发的基因组级联中的位置;以及 (5)研究歌曲相关基因在长期适应中的作用， 特别的歌

DESCRIPTION (adapted from the Abstract): This is an application for a first award to study the genomic, molecular, and cellular changes that underlie the acquisition of auditory memories in the avian brain. This application is based on the observation that when songbirds are exposed to a novel conspecific song, certain immediate early genes (i.e., ZENK and c-jun) are induced in a region of the forebrain known as the caudal neostriatum (NCM). Furthermore, repeated exposure to a single song results in a long-lasting habituation of the auditory responses of NCM neurons to this song as measured electrophysiologically; the persistence of this habituation requires new protein and mRNA synthesis. The Principal Investigator seeks to examine the functional significance of the genomic response triggered by song and its possible relation to the long-term modification of the NCM cells' auditory response properties. The specific aims are to: (1) characterize further the expression of ZENK in response to song, including the identity of cells in NCM that express ZENK; (2) search for other genes induced in the NCM by song at various times when RNA synthesis has been shown to be necessary for habituation; (3) characterize and test a method to block expression of certain song-related genes in vivo; (4) determine the position of song-related genes in the genomic cascade triggered by song; and (5) examine the role of song-related genes in the long-term habituation to a particular song.