Felipe Rosa- Colon¹, Fanfan Noel¹, Tugrul Giray¹, Martin Giurfa², Gabriela Giurfa²

¹University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras Campus

²Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier

Keywords: Long-term memory, honey bees, DNA recombination, DNA repair, sting extension response

 

INTRODUCTION:

In this article, we use the honey bee model to study the role of DNA repair and recombination in long-term memory (LTM) formation. The transcription and translation of DNA are fundamental requirements to form LTM. A series of events eventually lead to neuronal structural changes that mediate long-term memory storage. Memory consolidation depends on DNA transcription and translation, but DNA recombination’s role in memory stabilization remains unclear. We asked if inhibition of DNA recombination would reduce LTM formation while leaving short-term memory (STM) intact. To study the role of DNA recombination in memory consolidation, we used Epirubicine and Fluorouracil to block the DNA repair and recombination process. Previous studies have shown that these drugs progressively decrease some cognitive function in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy treatment. Considering this drug’s side effect, we hypothesized that the impact of the anticancer medicines would block the LTM formation without affecting the STM.

 

METHODS:

The bees were sorted by treatment; the control group was treated with sucrose, and the experimental group was treated with Epirubicin and Fluouracil. Afterward, we used proboscis extension response (PER) conditioning using a taste stimulus to study each bee group’s learning process. We analyzed the STM formation 20 minutes after completing the conditioning and the LTM 24 hours after, …

RESULTS:

…obtaining no significant differences in the proportion of individuals exhibiting STM. However, we found a substantial difference in the LTM and no LTM expression between both groups.

CONCLUSION:

The results conclude that DNA recombination and repair are essential for the consolidation of LTM.

 

ABSTRACT

In this article, we use the honey bee model to study the role of DNA repair and recombination in long-term memory (LTM) formation. The transcription and translation of DNA are fundamental requirements to form LTM. A series of events eventually lead to neuronal structural changes that mediate long-term memory storage. Memory consolidation depends on DNA transcription and translation, but DNA recombination’s role in memory stabilization remains unclear. We asked if inhibition of DNA recombination would reduce LTM formation while leaving short-term memory (STM) intact. To study the role of DNA recombination in memory consolidation, we used Epirubicine and Fluorouracil to block the DNA repair and recombination process. Previous studies have shown that these drugs progressively decrease some cognitive function in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy treatment. Considering this drug’s side effect, we hypothesized that the impact of the anticancer medicines would block the LTM formation without affecting the STM. The bees were sorted by treatment; the control group was treated with sucrose, and the experimental group was treated with Epirubicin and Fluouracil. Afterward, we used proboscis extension response (PER) conditioning using a taste stimulus to study each bee group’s learning process. We analyzed the STM formation 20 minutes after completing the conditioning and the LTM 24 hours after, obtaining no significant differences in the proportion of individuals exhibiting STM. However, we found a substantial difference in the LTM and no LTM expression between both groups. The results conclude that DNA recombination and repair are essential for the consolidation of LTM.