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Aparisi Rey A, Karaulanov E, Sharopov S, Arab K, Schäfer A, Gierl M, Guggenhuber S, Brandes C, Pennella L, Gruhn WH, Jelinek R, Maul C, Conrad A, Kilb W, Luhmann HJ, Niehrs C, Lutz B. Gadd45α modulates aversive learning through post-transcriptional regulation of memory-related mRNAs. EMBO Rep 2019; 20:embr.201846022. [PMID: 30948457 PMCID: PMC6549022 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201846022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning is essential for survival and is controlled by complex molecular mechanisms including regulation of newly synthesized mRNAs that are required to modify synaptic functions. Despite the well‐known role of RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) in mRNA functionality, their detailed regulation during memory consolidation is poorly understood. This study focuses on the brain function of the RBP Gadd45α (growth arrest and DNA damage‐inducible protein 45 alpha, encoded by the Gadd45a gene). Here, we find that hippocampal memory and long‐term potentiation are strongly impaired in Gadd45a‐deficient mice, a phenotype accompanied by reduced levels of memory‐related mRNAs. The majority of the Gadd45α‐regulated transcripts show unusually long 3′ untranslated regions (3′UTRs) that are destabilized in Gadd45a‐deficient mice via a transcription‐independent mechanism, leading to reduced levels of the corresponding proteins in synaptosomes. Moreover, Gadd45α can bind specifically to these memory‐related mRNAs. Our study reveals a new function for extended 3′UTRs in memory consolidation and identifies Gadd45α as a novel regulator of mRNA stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Aparisi Rey
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Salim Sharopov
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Stephan Guggenhuber
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Caroline Brandes
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Luigi Pennella
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Ruth Jelinek
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christina Maul
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andrea Conrad
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Werner Kilb
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Heiko J Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christof Niehrs
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany .,Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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