Novel Approach To Finding RNAs Involved In Long-Term Memory Storage

A recent article found on Medical News today along with publishings in Sage Journal discuss recent discoveries about how RNA is involved in memory and learning. Despite decades of research, little is known as to how RNA transporting is used in memory. Scientists from major universities have come together to develop a strategy for isolating and characterizing RNAs transported from the cell-body of neuron to the synapse. A synapse is a small gap separating neurons that enables cell to cell communication. Using this new method, scientists were able to identify 6,000 RNA sequences in a species of slug.

The goal of scientists is to identify the synaptic transcriptome, or the complete set of RNA molecules transported from the neuronal cell body to the synapse. To do so, scientists focused on RNA transport complexes that interact with the molecular motor kinesin. Kinesin is known to carry memory storage over the early stages of memory storage. Scientists know the process up until this point. However, after they reach their synaptic destination, they are handed over to more localized mechanisms. Recently, scientists have identified many unique sequences of both coding and noncoding RNAs from these localized mechnisms. This is the first step in understanding  how RNA is involved in long-term memory storage.