Impaired cued and contextual memory in NPAS2-deficient mice.
Neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2) is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) PAS domain transcription factor expressed in multiple regions of the vertebrate brain. Targeted insertion of a beta-galactosidase reporter gene (lacZ) resulted in the production of an NPAS2-lacZ fusion protein and an altered form of NPAS2 lacking the bHLH domain. The neuroanatomical expression pattern of NPAS2-lacZ was temporally and spatially coincident with formation of the mature frontal association/limbic forebrain pathway. NPAS2-deficient mice were subjected to a series of behavioral tests and were found to exhibit deficits in the long-term memory arm of the cued and contextual fear task. Thus, NPAS2 may serve a dedicated regulatory role in the acquisition of specific types of memory.
Garcia
J A
JA
Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
Zhang
D
D
Estill
S J
SJ
Michnoff
C
C
Rutter
J
J
Reick
M
M
Scott
K
K
Diaz-Arrastia
R
R
McKnight
S L
SL
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D003463:Cues; D005239:Fear; D018390:Gene Targeting; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008032:Limbic System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014110:Touch; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; C491259:Npas2 protein, mouse