Selective Localization ofArcmRNA in Dendrites Involves Activity- and Translation-Dependent mRNA Degradation

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Abstract
Arcis an immediate early gene that is unique among neuronal mRNAs because its transcripts are transported into dendrites and accumulate near activated synapses, presumably to be translated locally. These qualities poseArcas playing an important, yet not fully understood, role in the activity-dependent modifications of synapses that are thought to underlie memory storage. Here we showin vivoin rats that newly synthesizedArcmRNA accumulates at activated synapses and that synaptic activity simultaneously triggers mRNA decay that eliminatesArcmRNA from inactive dendritic domains.ArcmRNA degradation occurs throughout the dendrite and requires both NMDA receptor activation and active translation. Synaptic activation did not lead to decreases in another dendritic mRNA (αCaMKII), indicating that there is not a general activation of mRNA degradation in dendrites. These data reveal a novel mechanism for controlling mRNA distribution within dendrites and highlight activity-dependent mRNA degradation as a regulatory process involved in synaptic plasticity.

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