Importin-7 mediates memory consolidation through regulation of nuclear translocation of training-activated MAPK in Drosophila

Mar 2, 2016Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Importin-7 helps memory formation by controlling movement of active MAPK into the nucleus in fruit flies

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Silencing Drosophila importin-7 (DIM-7) results in impaired long-term memory (LTM) consolidation.

DIM-7 regulates the import of training-activated MAPK into the nucleus, which is crucial for LTM consolidation.
Overexpression of DIM-7 enhances LTM, suggesting a dose-dependent effect on memory processes.
The regulation of LTM by DIM-7 occurs within a specific time window during memory consolidation.
In mushroom body neurons, changes in DIM-7 expression lead to proportional alterations in the levels of activated MAPK in the nucleus.
The nuclear accumulation of activated MAPK, regulated by DIM-7, is linked to training specific for LTM induction.

AI simplified

Translocation of signaling molecules, MAPK in particular, from the cytosol to nucleus represents a universal key element in initiating the gene program that determines memory consolidation. Translocation mechanisms and their behavioral impact, however, remain to be determined. Here, we report that a highly conserved nuclear transporter, Drosophila importin-7 (DIM-7), regulates import of training-activated MAPK for consolidation of long-term memory (LTM). We show that silencing DIM-7 functions results in impaired LTM, whereas overexpression of DIM-7 enhances LTM. This DIM-7-dependent regulation of LTM is confined to a consolidation time window and in mushroom body neurons. Image data show that bidirectional alteration in DIM-7 expression results in proportional changes in the intensity of training-activated MAPK accumulated within the nuclei of mushroom body neurons during LTM consolidation. Such DIM-7-regulated nuclear accumulation of activated MAPK is observed only in the training specified for LTM induction and determines the amplitude, but not the time course, of memory consolidation.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text ↗

Importin-7 mediates memory consolidation through regulation of nuclear translocation of training-activated MAPK in Drosophila

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief