Klann LAB Projects

Translational Control Of Learning and Memory

Mechanisms of translational control in synaptic plasticity and cognitive function

It has been known for many years that long-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity and long-term memory require new protein synthesis. However, until the early 2000s, little was known concerning the signaling pathways required to couple activation of various neurotransmitter receptors to the translation machinery during these processes. Our laboratory has spent many years delineating the translational control pathways that regulate eIF4E- and eIF2-dependent translation initiation during LTP, LTD, and memory formation in the hippocampus. More recently, we have focused our efforts on understanding the cell type specificity of eIF4E- and eIF2-dependent translation in the amygdala during auditory threat memory using novel conditional and inducible protein synthesis inhibitor (ciPSI) mouse lines and viruses that we have developed.

Selected important publications since 2008:

Hoeffer, C.A., Tang, W., Wong, H., Santillan, A., Patterson, R.J., Martinez, L.A., Tejada-Simon, M.V., Paylor, R., Hamilton, S.L., and Klann, E. (2008) Removal of FKBP12 enhances mTOR/Raptor interactions, LTP, memory, and perseverative/repetitive behavior. Neuron 60: 832-845. PMCID: PMC2630531 PubMed Link

Huynh, T., Santini, E., Mojica, E., Fink, A.E., Hall, B.S., Fetcho, R.N., Grosenick, L., Deisseroth, K., LeDoux, J.E., Liston, C., and Klann, E. (2018) Activation of a novel p70 S6 kinase 1-dependent signaling cascade in the basal nucleus of the amygdala is required for the acquisition of extinction memory. Mol. Psychiatry 23: 1394-1401. PMCID: PMC5668214 PubMed Link

Shrestha, P., Ayata, P., Herrero-Vidal, P., Longo, F., Gastone, A., LeDoux, J.E., Heintz, N., and Klann, E. (2020) A cell type-specific drug-inducible protein synthesis inhibition in mice mouse elucidates the requirement for rapid neuronal translation in memory consolidation. Nat. Neurosci. 23: 281-292. PMCID: PMC7147976 Pubmed Link

Shrestha, P., Shan, Z., Marmarcz, M. Ruiz, K.S.A., Zerihoun, A.T., Juan, C.-Y., Herrero-Vidal, P.M., Pelletier, J., Heintz, N., and Klann, E. (2020) Amygdala inhibitory neurons as loci for translational control of emotional memories. Nature 586: 407-411. PMCID: PMC7572709 PubMed Link