Molecular correlates of memory phases and development of molecular tools to modify brain physiology in the honeybee.

在之前对蜜蜂的研究中，我们发现RNA干扰对NMDA谷氨酸受体NR1亚基的抑制会损害早期记忆阶段，但会使后期记忆阶段保持完整。这一结果令人惊讶，因为其他研究表明，在学习过程中，所有记忆阶段的发展都需要受体。RNA干扰诱导的抑制幅度适中，在时间和空间上受限制。该项目的一个目标是评估这些限制是否解释了对后期记忆阶段缺乏影响的原因。然而，对于这个记忆阶段，其他因素可能也很重要。雷帕霉素的靶点、真核延伸因子2和电压门控钙通道是本项目可能考虑的候选者。有证据表明，抑制性神经传递介导谷氨酸氯通道。我们已经通过诱导RNA干扰葡聚糖α亚基，表明蘑菇体区域的这些通道对嗅觉记忆的检索是重要的。该项目的另一个目标是评估触角叶通道在嗅觉和嗅觉记忆中的作用。

In a previous study in the honeybee, Apis mellifera, we showed that the inhibition of the NR1 subunit of the NMDA glutamate receptor by RNA interference impairs early memory phases but leaves intact a late memory phase. This result is surprising because other studies show that the receptor is required during learning for the development of all memory phases. The inhibition induced by RNA interference was of moderate amplitude and it was limited in time and space. One goal of the project is to evaluate if these limitations explain the lack of effect on the late memory phase. However, other factors might be important for this memory phase. The target of rapamycin, the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 and voltage-gated calcium channels are possible candidates that will be considered in this project. There is evidence of an inhibitory neurotransmission mediated by glutamate chloride channels. We have shown by inducing RNA interference against the GluClα subunit that these channels of the mushroom body region are important for the retrieval of olfactory memory. Another goal of the project is to evaluate the role of antennal lobe channels in olfaction and in olfactory memory.