Dr. Kim Raab-Graham publishes in Journal of Biological Chemistry

The Raab-Graham lab has published a paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry entitled “Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Tagging Promotes Dendritic Branch Variability through the Capture of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα) mRNAs by the RNA-binding Protein HuD”.

Synopsis: The fate of a memory, whether stored or forgotten, is determined by the ability of an active or tagged synapse to undergo changes in synaptic efficacy, requiring protein synthesis of plasticity related proteins. A synapse can be tagged, but without the “capture” of plasticity related proteins it will not undergo long-lasting forms of plasticity (Synaptic tagging and capture hypothesis). What the “tag” is and how plasticity related proteins are captured at tagged synapses is unknown. Our studies are the first to identify the RNA-binding protein HuD mediates the branch specific expression of its target mRNAs, many of which have been associated with improved cognition.

Sosanya NM, Cacheaux LP, Workman ER, Niere F, Perrone-Bizzozero NI, and Raab-Graham KF. 2015. Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Tagging Promotes Dendritic Branch Variability through the Capture of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα) mRNAs by the RNA-binding Protein HuD. Journal of Biological Chemistry. Epub ahead of print