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Lamberty, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Lamberty, M..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Rab3 mediates cyclic AMP-dependent presynaptic plasticity and olfactory learning

Presynaptic forms of plasticity occur throughout the nervous system and play an important role in learning and memory but the underlying molecular mechanisms are insufficiently understood. Here we show that the small GTPase Rab3 is a key mediator of cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced presynaptic plasticity in Drosophila. Pharmacological and optogenetic cAMP production triggered concentration-dependent alterations of synaptic transmission, including potentiation and depression of evoked neurotransmitter release, as well as strongly facilitated spontaneous release. These changes correlated with a nanoscopic rearrangement of the active zone protein Unc13A and required Rab3. To link these results to animal behaviour, we turned to the established role of cAMP signalling in memory formation and demonstrate that Rab3 is necessary for olfactory learning. As Rab3 is dispensable for basal synaptic transmission, these findings highlight a molecular pathway specifically dedicated to tuning neuronal communication and adaptive behaviour.

neuroscience↗

Neuronal correlates of time integration into memories

The circadian clock affects a wide range of physiological processes. Of particular interest is the influence of the clock on memory performance, as circadian dysfunction is associated with age- and disease-related decline in memory. In various species it has been shown that memory performance is regulated by the circadian clock. However, the anatomical and functional connection of the circadian clock and memory neurons has not been described in detail so far. This study now identifies that Diuretic hormone 31 (DH31)-positive clock neurons of the DN1p cluster regulate memory performance. DH31, a functional homolog of the mammalian calcitonin gene-related peptide, plays a crucial role in this process as a clock communication signal. DH31 facilitates memory performance during the night via indirect signalling, while DH31 signals directly to the mushroom bodies restricting memory performance specifically in the evening. This pleiotropic action of DH31 suggests that the circadian clock confines memory performance to a physiological dynamic range.

neuroscience↗