Revealing the synaptic memory system by a new light sensitive signaling molecules

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05373
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: National Institute for Physiological Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Murakoshi Hideji 生理学研究所, 脳機能計測・支援センター, 准教授 (90608142)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 光応答性分子 / FRET / 蛍光寿命イメージング / 2光子顕微鏡 / Phototropin

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, the various types of genetically-encoded optogenetic tools using blue-light sensitive LOV2 domain from Phototropin1 have been developed and utilized in a wide range of areas including cell biology field. Here, we succeeded in developing a genetically-encoded light inducible CaMKII inhibitory peptide. Using this newly developed optogenetic tool, we found that the 1 min of CaMKII activation is sufficient for triggering structural plasticity of synapses in hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, using passive avoidance based memory test, we found that transient CaMKII activity is only required for fear memory formation in amygdala of mice.

Free Research Field

生物物理、細胞生物、神経科学