Research article summary (published 30 May 2008):

Protein degradation, as with protein synthesis, is required during not only long-term spatial memory consolidation but also reconsolidation.

Full Abstract

The formation of long-term memory requires protein synthesis, particularly during initial memory consolidation. This process also seems to be dependant upon protein degradation, particularly degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal requirement of protein synthesis and degradation during the initial consolidation of allocentric spatial learning. As memory returns to a labile state during reactivation, we also focus on the role of protein synthesis and degradation during memory reconsolidation of this spatial learning. Male CD1 mice were submitted to massed training in the spatial version of the Morris water maze. At various time intervals after initial acquisition or after a reactivation trial taking place 24 h after acquisition, mice received an injection of either the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin or the protein degradation inhibitor lactacystin. This injection was performed into the hippocampal CA3 region, which is specifically implicated in the processing of spatial information. Results show that, in the CA3 hippocampal region, consolidation of an allocentric spatial learning task requires two waves of protein synthesis taking place immediately and 4 h after acquisition, whereas reconsolidation requires only the first wave. However, for protein degradation, both consolidation and reconsolidation require only one wave, taking place immediately after acquisition or reactivation, respectively. These findings suggest that protein degradation is a key step for memory reconsolidation, as for consolidation. Moreover, as protein synthesis-dependent reconsolidation occurred faster than consolidation, reconsolidation did not consist of a simple repetition of the initial consolidation.

Author information

Author/s: Artinian, Julien (J); McGauran, Anne-Marie T (AM); De Jaeger, Xavier (X); Mouledous, Lionel (L); Frances, Bernard (B); Roullet, Pascal (P);

Affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, CNRS 5169, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The European journal of neuroscience (Eur J Neurosci), published in France. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 27 (issue 11) : pp 3009-19

Dates: Created 2008/06/30; Completed 2008/08/20;

PMID: 18588539, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Acetylcysteine - analogs & derivatives; pharmacology Animals Anisomycin - pharmacology Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors - pharmacology Hippocampus - drug effects; metabolism Long-Term Potentiation - drug effects; physiology Male

Maze Learning - drug effects; physiology Memory - drug effects; physiology Mice Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism Neurons - drug effects; metabolism Protein Synthesis Inhibitors - pharmacology Space Perception - drug effects; physiology

Associated Chemicals: Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors (0) ; Nerve Tissue Proteins (0) ; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors (0) ; lactacystin (133343-34-7) ; Anisomycin (22862-76-6) ; Acetylcysteine (616-91-1)

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