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Integrin-mediated short-term memory in Drosophila

Nature volume 391, pages 455–460 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Volado is a new memory mutant of Drosophila. The locus encodes two isoforms of a new α-integrin, a molecule that dynamically mediates cell adhesion and signal transduction. The Volado gene is expressed preferentially in mushroom body cells, which are neurons known to mediate olfactory learning in insects. Volado proteins are concentrated in the mushroom body neuropil, brain areas that contain mushroom body processes in synaptic contact with other neurons. Volado mutants display impaired olfactory memories within 3 min of training, indicating that the integrin is required for short-term memory processes. Conditional expression of a Volado transgene during adulthood rescues the memory impairment. This rescue of memory is reversible, fading over time along with expression of the transgene. Thus the Volado integrin is essential for the physiological processes underlying memory. We propose a model in which integrins act as dynamic regulators of synapse structure or the signalling events underlying short-term memory formation.

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Figure 1: The Vol gene structure, transcripts and mutations.
Figure 2: Vol encodes two forms of an α-integrin.
Figure 3: Vol is preferentially expressed in mushroom bodies.
Figure 4: Memory deficits in Vol mutants.
Figure 5: Lack of neuroanatomical defects in Vol mutants.
Figure 6: Rescue of the Vol memory defect by conditional expression of Vol-s.

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Acknowledgements

We thank members of the R. L. Davis laboratory, R. Montague and D. Sweatt for comments on the manuscript; R. Latorre and P. Labarca for suggesting the name Volado; and E. Chen, S.Swanson, B. Schroeder and S. Ahmed for technical assistance. This work was supported by NRSAs (M.S.G., C.D.O.B.) and research grants from the NIH and the R.P. Doherty-Welch Chair in Science (R.L.D.).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Kwok Hang Wu

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA

  2. Xin-Ran Zhu

    Present address: Zentrum fur Molekulare Neurobiologie, Institut fur Neurale Signalverarbeitung, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology and the Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Michael S. Grotewiel, Christine D. O. Beck & Ronald L. Davis

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  1. Michael S. Grotewiel
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  5. Ronald L. Davis
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Correspondence to Ronald L. Davis.

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Grotewiel, M., Beck, C., Wu, K. et al. Integrin-mediated short-term memory in Drosophila. Nature 391, 455–460 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/35079

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