Memory consolidation and fucosylation of crude synaptosomal glycoproteins resolved by gel electrophoresis: A regional study

Changes in Glycoprotein Metabolism in the Cerebral Cortex Following First Exposure of Dark‐reared Rats to Light

“…The suggestion has been made (Barondes, 1970) that glycoproteins may play a role in determining and regulating synaptic connectivity; evidence in support of this claim has come from the work of Zanetta, et al (1978). Changes in the incorporation of [3H]fucose in the rat as a consequence of a training experience have been found in a particulate fraction of the hippocampus (Popov et al, 1976) and in a small number of polypeptide species derived from a crude mitochondrial-synaptosomal fraction of the temporal cortex (Routtenberg et al, 1974) and, in the chick, in a particulate fraction of the anterior forebrain roof following a passive-avoidance learning task (Sukumar et al, 1980). These results together with those of the present paper support the idea that changes in the metabolism of membrane-bound glycoproteins may be important in the modification of neuronal connectivity occurring during memory consolidation or during functional recovery from the effects of visual deprivation.…”

Increased Incorporation of [3H]Fucose into Chick Brain Glycoproteins Following Training on a Passive Avoidance Task

“…Increased incorporation of labelled precursors into gangliosides and glycoproteins has been re-ported in rats and chicks following exposure to visual stimulation (Maccioni et al, 1974;Burgoyne and Rose, 1978;. It is also known that changes in incorporation of [3H]fucose into glycoproteins occur following behavioural training (Routtenberg et al, 1974;Popov et al, 1976;Irwin et al, 1978). In view of the suggested importance of glycoproteins in mediating changes in neuronal connectivity (Brunngraber, 1969;Barondes, 1970), the increase in the production of glycoproteins observed in the chick brain following passive avoidance learning may have relevance to the chemical basis of alterations in specific neuronal circuits during the formation of memory, although it must be emphasized that features of the training situation other than learning (for instance, stress or the unpleasant taste of the methylanthranilate itself) may also be relevant antecedents to the biochemical modulation.…”

“…The forebrain contains a region, the anterior forebrain roof, in which earlier reports from this laboratory and of our collaborators have shown an enhanced incorporation of precursors into brain RNA and protein, and an increase in the activity of the enzyme RNA polymerase during and following exposure of the young chick to an imprinting stimulus (Horn et al, 1973;Rose, 1977). There have been a number of reports in the literature that the rate of glycoprotein synthesis, as measured by changed rates of incorporation of precursor such as fucose or glucosamine, may be modulated by experience and learning (e.g., Routtenberg et al, 1974;Irwin et al, 1978;Burgoyne and Rose, 1980), and it seemed appropriate to examine this measure in the passive avoidance paradigm. The present series of experiments shows that, following learning, there is an elevation of [3H]fucose incorporation into a TCA-insoluble particulate fraction of the anterior forebrain roof that persists for up to 24 h after the training episode.…”

Characterisation of Antibodies Specific for Chick Brain Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules Which Cause Amnesia for a Passive Avoidance Task

“…In the hours that follow the training experience, there is enhanced synthesis of proteins including tubulin (Mileusnic et al, 1980 ;Scholey et al ., 1992) and, most important, a number of synaptic plasma membrane (SPM) glycoproteins Sukumar et al ., 1980 ;Rose, 1989 ;Bullock et al ., 1990Bullock et al ., , 1992 . The suggestion that glycoproteins play a part in the synaptic plasticity that underpins memory forma-tion is not novel (Routtenberg et al, 1974;Pohle et al, 1979 ;Popov et al, 1981) and for the last few years our laboratory has been endeavouring to identify the specific glycoprotein species concerned . Granted the known role that such membrane glycoprotein families as the neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAM, L1, etc .)…”