DNA methylation-mediated control of learning and memory

Abstract

Animals constantly receive and respond to external or internal stimuli, and these experiences are learned and memorized in their brains. In animals, this is a crucial feature for survival, by making it possible for them to adapt their behavioral patterns to the ever-changing environment. For this learning and memory process, nerve cells in the brain undergo enormous molecular and cellular changes, not only in the input-output-related local subcellular compartments but also in the central nucleus. Interestingly, the DNA methylation pattern, which is normally stable in a terminally differentiated cell and defines the cell type identity, is emerging as an important regulatory mechanism of behavioral plasticity. The elucidation of how this covalent modification of DNA, which is known to be the most stable epigenetic mark, contributes to the complex orchestration of animal behavior is a fascinating new research area. We will overview the current understanding of the mechanism of modifying the methyl code on DNA and its impact on learning and memory. © 2011 Yu et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.