Redefining Single-Trial Memories in the Honeybee

oleh: Maria Eugenia Villar, Paul Marchal, Haydee Viola, Martin Giurfa

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Elsevier 2020-02-01

Deskripsi

Summary: Research on honeybee memory has led to a widely accepted model in which a single pairing of an odor stimulus with sucrose induces memories that are independent of protein synthesis but is unable to form protein-synthesis-dependent long-term memory (LTM). The latter is said to arise only after three or more pairings of odor and sucrose. Here, we show that this model underestimates the capacity of the bee brain to form LTMs after a unique appetitive experience. Using state-of-the art conditioning setups and individual-based analyses of conditioned responses, we found that protein-synthesis-dependent memories are formed already 4 h after the single conditioning trial and persist even 3 days later. These memories (4 h, 24 h, and 72 h) exhibit different dependencies on transcription and translation processes. Our results thus modify the traditional view of one-trial memories in an insect with a model status for memory research. : Villar et al. show that a single olfactory conditioning trial in bees induces not only transient memories, but also protein-synthesis-dependent long-term memories that appear earlier than expected. 4 h after conditioning, the olfactory memory depends on translation. One and three days later, it depends both on transcription and translation. Keywords: memory, memory phases, long-term memory, honeybee, olfactory learning, proboscis extension response