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Potassium current in Drosophila neurons is increased by either dunce mutation or cyclic AMP
Author(s) -
Alshuaib Waleed B.,
Mathew Mini V.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4547(19980601)52:5<521::aid-jnr4>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - mutation , current (fluid) , genetics , biology , neuroscience , physics , gene , thermodynamics
In the Drosophila mutant dunce , short‐term memory is deficient and intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentration is elevated. We examined the effect of increased cAMP concentration on the potassium current. The conventional whole‐cell technique was applied to cultured “giant” Drosophila neurons derived from cell‐division arrested embryonic neuroblasts. Potassium membrane currents were measured from: 1) control wild‐type neurons, 2) wild‐type neurons with dibutyryl cAMP and theophylline in the culture media for 2 days (db‐cAMP‐treated), and 3) dunce neurons. Delayed‐rectifier potassium current was greater in both dunce neurons and db‐cAMP‐treated wild‐type neurons than in control wild‐type neurons. This result indicates that the neuronal potassium current is increased by the long‐term increase of cAMP. Conceivably, altered neuronal excitability in the dunce mutant could disrupt the processing of neural signals necessary for learning and memory. J. Neurosci. Res. 52:521–529, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.