Regulation of Signaling Proteins in the Brain By Light | AIChE

Regulation of Signaling Proteins in the Brain By Light

Authors 

Lamprecht, R. - Presenter, University of Haifa
In order to study the role of signaling proteins, such as kinases and GTPases, in brain functions it is necessary to control their activity at the appropriate spatiotemporal resolution and to examine the cellular and behavioral effects of such changes in activity. Reduced spatiotemporal resolution in the regulation of these proteins activity will impede the ability to understand the proteins normal functions as longer modification of their activity in non-normal locations could lead to effects different from their natural functions. We use and develop photoactivatable proteins to control signaling proteins, such as receptor tyrosine kinases and small GTPases, at high spatiotemporal resolution in neurons in behaving animals. For example, we show that photoactivation of EphB2, a key brain receptor tyrosine kinase, in pyramidal neurons in lateral amygdala during, but not after, learning leads to enhancement of long- but not short-term memory formation (e.g. Alapin et al., 2018). Activation by light of the small GTPase Rac1 (photoactivatable Rac1) in lateral amygdala during learning impaired long-term memory consolidation (e.g. Das et al., 2017). We currently further utilize and develop new optogenetic tools to control intracellular proteins (e.g. actin cytoskeleton regulatory proteins) to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms in brain underlying behavior and memory formation.