Temporal and region-specific requirements of ?CaMKII in spatial and contextual learning.

ABSTRACT: The ? isoform of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (?CaMKII) has been implicated extensively in molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying spatial and contextual learning in a wide variety of species. Germline deletion of Camk2a leads to severe deficits in spatial and contextual learning in mice. However, the temporal and region-specific requirements for ?CaMKII have remained largely unexplored. Here, we generated conditional Camk2a mutants to examine the influence of spatially restricted and temporally controlled expression of ?CaMKII. Forebrain-specific deletion of the Camk2a gene resulted in severe deficits in water maze and contextual fear learning, whereas mice with deletion restricted to the cerebellum learned normally. Furthermore, we found that temporally controlled deletion of the Camk2a gene in adult mice is as detrimental as germline deletion for learning and synaptic plasticity. Together, we confirm the requirement for ?CaMKII in the forebrain, but not the cerebellum, in spatial and contextual learning. Moreover, we highlight the absolute requirement for intact ?CaMKII expression at the time of learning.

SUBMITTER: Achterberg KG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4340969 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature