title: The role of eEF2 pathway in learning and synaptic plasticity.
abstract: One of the hallmarks of learning processes in any species studied so far is that they require intact protein synthesis machinery in order to consolidate memories. Interestingly, synaptic plasticity and consolidation processes share similar molecular mechanisms. In recent years, different laboratories have been studying regulation of translation machinery as a molecular entity underlying the consolidation process. Protein synthesis consists of three phases: initiation, elongation, and termination. The initiation step is considered the rate limiting step of protein synthesis. However, there is growing evidence that critical regulation of protein synthesis occurs at the elongation phase as well. Here, we focus on the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) pathway as a major regulator of protein synthesis, synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation.
authors.affiliation: Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Center for Gene Manipulation in the Brain, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Iness
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gildish
authors.forename: Shunit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gal-Ben-Ari
authors.forename: Kobi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosenblum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054736:Elongation Factor 2 Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D020652:Peptide Elongation Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D020652:Peptide Elongation Factor 2; D054736:Elongation Factor 2 Kinase
keywords: Elongation; Learning; Memory; Protein synthesis; Protein translation; Synaptic plasticity