title: Feasibility of long-term storage of graded information by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase molecules of the postsynaptic density.
abstract: The feasibility of long-term information storage by brain type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase molecules is explored. Recent evidence indicates that this protein has switch-like properties. Equations are derived showing that a single kinase holoenzyme could form a bistable switch having the stability necessary to encode long-term memory, and that a group of kinase molecules, such as that contained within the postsynaptic density, could form a device capable of storing graded information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lisman
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Goldring
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D011494:Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium