The E3 ligase ube3a is required for learning in Drosophila melanogaster.
Angelman syndrome and autism are neurodevelopmental disorders linked to mutations and duplications of an E3 ligase called ube3a respectively. Since cognitive deficits and learning disabilities are hallmark symptoms of both these disorders, we investigated a role for dube3a in the learning ability of flies using the aversive phototaxis suppression assay. We show that down and up-regulation of dube3a are both detrimental to learning in larvae and adults. Using conditional gene expression we found that dube3a is required for normal brain development and during adulthood. Furthermore, we suggest that dube3a could be interacting with other learning and memory genes such as derailed. Along with firmly establishing dube3a as a gene that is required for learning, our work also opens avenues for further understanding the role played by this gene in brain development and behavior.
Department of Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, National Brain Research Centre, NH8, Nainwal Mode, Manesar, Haryana, 122051, India. Electronic address: moumita.biochem89@gmail.com.
Moumita
M
Chakraborty
Department of Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, National Brain Research Centre, NH8, Nainwal Mode, Manesar, Haryana, 122051, India. Electronic address: blessonmustard@gmail.com.
Blesson K
BK
Paul
Department of Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, National Brain Research Centre, NH8, Nainwal Mode, Manesar, Haryana, 122051, India. Electronic address: titirnk@gmail.com.
Tanmoyita
T
Nayak
Department of Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, National Brain Research Centre, NH8, Nainwal Mode, Manesar, Haryana, 122051, India. Electronic address: aniruddhadas86@gmail.com.
Aniruddha
A
Das
Department of Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, National Brain Research Centre, NH8, Nainwal Mode, Manesar, Haryana, 122051, India. Electronic address: nihar@nbrc.ac.in.
Nihar R
NR
Jana
Department of Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, National Brain Research Centre, NH8, Nainwal Mode, Manesar, Haryana, 122051, India. Electronic address: supriya@nbrc.ac.in.
Supriya
S
Bhutani
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C532444:Ube3a protein, Drosophila; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
Angelman syndrome; Autism; E6-AP; Learning; ube3a