Long-term memory requires polyADP-ribosylation.

Cohen-Armon, Malka; Visochek, Leonid; Katzoff, Ayelet; Levitan, David; Susswein, Abraham J; Klein, Rodika; Valbrun, Mireille; Schwartz, James H · Science · 2004

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

PolyADP-ribose-polymerase 1 is activated in neurons that mediate several forms of long-term memory in Aplysia. Because polyADP-ribosylation of nuclear proteins is a response to DNA damage in virtually all eukaryotic cells, it is surprising that activation of the polymerase occurs during learning and is required for long-term memory. We suggest that fast and transient decondensation of chromatin structure by polyADP-ribosylation enables the transcription needed to form long-term memory without strand breaks in DNA.

Medical subject headings