CREB expression in the brains of two closely related parasitic wasp species that differ in long-term memory formation.
The cAMP/PKA signalling pathway and transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) play key roles in long-term memory (LTM) formation. We used two closely related parasitic wasp species, Cotesia glomerata and Cotesia rubecula, which were previously shown to be different in LTM formation, and sequenced at least nine different CREB transcripts in both wasp species. The splicing patterns, functional domains and amino acid sequences were similar to those found in the CREB genes of other organisms. The predicted amino acid sequences of the CREB isoforms were identical in both wasp species. Using real-time quantitative PCR we found that two low abundant CREB transcripts are differentially expressed in the two wasps, whereas the expression levels of high abundant transcripts are similar.
Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
M
M
van den Berg
P
P
Verbaarschot
S
S
Hontelez
L E M
LE
Vet
M
M
Dicke
H M
HM
Smid
D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014863:Wasps / Q000235:genetics*
D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020033:Protein Isoforms