Memory protein phosphorylation

Protein phosphorylation is an important mechanism of memory. Phosphorylation of any of the aforementioned... 

Protein phosphorylation has been shown to be intimately involved in the assembly and function of the post-synaptic density (Yamauchi 2002), synaptic vesicle turnover (Turner, Burgoyne et al. 1999), LTP (Hedou and Mansuy 2003) and synaptic plasticity/memory (Schulman 1995). It is therefore obvious that study of protein phosphorylation on a proteomic platform will yield a wealth of data relevant to the molecular basis of brain function. 

Another important finding is that many neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by aberrant protein phosphorylation and ubiquitination (Thomas et al., 2009). Thus, disruption of the phosphorylation of neurotransmitter receptors and hyperphosphorylation of t-protein has been implicated in impaired memory function in AD. Similarly, AD also involves aberrant accumulation of proteins that are normally degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. It is suggested that phosphorylation and ubiquitination of proteins can serve biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases (Thomas et al., 2009). 

Protein phosphorylation is involved in numerous biochemical processes. These include the regulation of metabolic pathways, membrane transport, muscle contraction, hormone response, photosynthesis, cell division, gene transcription and translation, intracellular signalling and brain processes such as learning and memory [6,6a, 12]. 

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