Role of activity-dependent gene Arc in synaptic plasticity

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24300117
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neuroscience in general
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2013-2014); The University of Tokyo (2012)
• Principal Investigator: OKUNO Hiroyuki 京都大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 特定准教授 (80272417)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): BITO Haruhiko 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (00291964) ; SAKIMURA Kenji 新潟大学, 脳研究所, 教授 (40162325)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: シナプス / 長期記憶 / 海馬 / Arc / CaMKII

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Long-term synaptic plasticity and memory formation require activity-dependent gene expression. However, it remains unknown how such activity-induced gene products are targeted to proper cellular compartments including synapses. In the present study, we investigated the targeting of the memory related-protein Arc from the soma to the synapses, and elucidated a novel “inverse” synaptic tagging mechanism that enables Arc to specifically target the un-potentiated synapses. The findings provide new mechanistic insights into how the contrast between strong and weak synapses is maintained during long-term synaptic plasticity. We further identified the CREB coactivator CRTC1 as a critical factor for Arc expression as well as memory function.

Free Research Field

分子神経生物学