Molecular Biology of Drosophila Learning and Memory

果蝇学习和记忆的分子生物学

• 批准号: 6615516
• 负责人: Ronald L Davis
• 金额: $ 42.52万
• 依托单位: BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1987
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1987-12-01 至 2006-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6615516
• 关键词: Drosophilidae; behavioral /social science research tag; behavioral genetics; cell adhesion molecules; focal adhesion kinase; gene expression; gene mutation; genetically modified animals; integrins; learning; long term memory; memory; molecular biology; olfactions; operant conditionings; transcription factor

We propose experiments designed to increase our understanding of the roles for certain types of cell adhesion molecules in learning and memory. Prior research has indicated that certain members of the integrin family of cell adhesion molecules, and members of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules, are important for odor learning in Drosophila. Mutants that are defective in the expression of these molecules will be studied molecularly and behaviorally. Some experiments will determine whether expression of transgenes in restricted portions of the brain will rescue the mutant learning deficits. This will reveal whether limited spatial expression is sufficient for behavioral rescue. The mutants will also be tested in operant learning situations to determine whether the behavioral deficit is specific for odor learning, or whether the molecules have a more general influence on conditioned behavior. Over-expression of some cell adhesion molecules blocks long-term memory. Experiments are proposed to define the time window of over-expression necessary to observe the block. And, we will pursue an understanding of how these cell adhesion molecules mediate behavior by studying molecules known to organize adhesion molecules at the synapse, and candidate signaling molecules known to function downstream of the cell adhesion receptors. These experiments will further our understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of learning and memory in Drosophila. This basic information is expected to be of general significance to learning in other species and of relevance to diseases that affect cognition.

我们提出的实验旨在增加我们对某些类型的细胞黏附分子在学习和记忆中的作用的理解。先前的研究表明，细胞黏附分子整合素家族的某些成员和细胞黏附分子的免疫球蛋白超家族成员对果蝇的气味学习非常重要。对这些分子表达有缺陷的突变体将从分子和行为上进行研究。一些实验将确定，在大脑的有限部分表达转基因是否会挽救突变的学习缺陷。这将揭示有限的空间表达是否足以进行行为救援。这些突变体还将在操作性学习的情况下进行测试，以确定行为缺陷是否是气味学习所特有的，或者分子是否对条件性行为具有更普遍的影响。一些细胞黏附分子的过度表达会阻碍长期记忆。建议通过实验来定义观察区块所需的过度表达的时间窗口。此外，我们将通过研究已知在突触组织黏附分子的分子，以及已知在细胞黏附受体下游发挥作用的候选信号分子，来了解这些细胞黏附分子是如何调节行为的。这些实验将加深我们对果蝇学习和记忆的分子和细胞基础的理解。这一基本信息预计对其他物种的学习具有普遍意义，并与影响认知的疾病相关。