John H. "Jack" Byrne, Ph.D.
June and Virgil Waggoner Chair
Chairman, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
Telephone: 713.500.5602
E-mail Dr Byrne
See Also: Dr Jack Byrne's Lab Website | Message From The Chairman | Curriculum Vitae [ pdf ]
View Dr Byrne's Feb 16 2010 lecture on Neural Networks at Rice University's Scientia Institute: Watch Video | Lecture Info
See a brief biographical YouTube video on Dr Byrne: Watch Video
Neural And Molecular Bases Of Learning And Memory
The research interests of this laboratory are the neuronal and molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory. The marine mollusc Aplysia californica and hippocampal cultures and slices are being used as model systems. In Aplysia we are studying mechanisms of implicit (nondeclarative) memory associated with simple forms of learning such as habituation, sensitization, classical or Pavlovian conditioning and operant conditioning. In hippocampal preparations we are studying mechanisms of explicit (declarative) memory associated with more complex learning processes such as remembering a place or how to solve a maze problem. As these studies progress, we will be able to compare and contrast learning rules and memory mechanisms among these different memory systems.
A variety of molecular, biochemical, biophysical, electrophysiological, imaging, and computer simulation techniques are used to analyze the properties of the neural circuits and the individual neurons. For example, with intracellular recording techniques we have found that simple forms of learning involve changes in synaptic transmission at existing synaptic connections. We have also determined that these changes are induced by the elevation of intracellular second messengers such as cAMP and DAG, which appear to act by modulating specific membrane channels and other cellular processes such as those associated with the machinery for transmitter release.
We are now investigating how these processes are modulated both in the short-term of minutes by covalent modifications and in the long-term of days by growth factors and cAMP-induction of new gene transcription and protein synthesis. The empirical analyses are complemented with realistic mathematical modeling in order to determine whether the observed processes and their interactions are sufficient to explain the behavior of the system.
Selected Reading
Byrne, JH, Kandel, ER. (1996) Presynaptic facilitation revisited: State and time dependence. J. Neuroscience, 16(2): 425-435.
Zhang, F, Endo, S, Cleary, LJ, Eskin, A, Byrne, JH. (1997) Role of transforming growth factor-ß in long-term synaptic facilitation in Aplysia. Science, 275:1318-1320.
Smolen, P, Baxter, DA, Byrne, JH. (2000) Mathematical modeling of gene networks. Neuron, 26:567-580.
Brembs, B, Lorenzetti, FD, Reyes, FD, Baxter, DA, Byrne, JH. (2002) Operant reward learning in Aplysia: Neuronal correlates and mechanisms. Science, 296:1706-1709.
Angers, A, Fioravante, D, Chin, J, Cleary, LJ, Bean, AJ, Byrne, JH. (2002) Serotonin stimulates phosphorylation of Aplysia synapsin and alters its subcellular distribution in sensory neurons. J. Neurosci., 22:5412-5422.
Mohamed, HA, Yao, W, Fioravante, D, Smolen, P, Byrne, JH. (2005) cAMP-response elements in Aplysia creb1, creb2, and Ap-uch promoters. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280: 27035-27043.
Smolen, P, Baxter, DA, Byrne, JH. (2006) A model of the roles of essential kinases in the induction and expression of late long-term potentiation. Biophysical Journal, 90:2760-2775.
Fukushima, T, Liu, RY, Byrne, JH. (2007) Transforming growth factor-β2 modulates synaptic efficacy and plasticity and induces phosphorylation of CREB in hippocampal neurons. Hippocampus, 17:5-9.
Antzoulatos, EG, Byrne, JH. (2007) Long-term sensitization training produces spike narrowing in Aplysia sensory neurons. J. Neuroscience, 27:676-683.
Song, H, Smolen, P, Av-Ron, E, Baxter, DA, Byrne, JH. (2007) Dynamics of a minimal model of interlocked positive and negative feedback loops of transcriptional regulation by cAMP-responsive element binding proteins. Biophysical Journal, 92:3407-3424.
Fioravante, D, Liu, RY, Netek, A, Cleary, LJ, Byrne, JH. (2007) Synapsin regulates basal synaptic strength, synaptic depression and serotonin-induced facilitation of sensorimotor synapses in Aplysia. J. Neurophysiology, 98:3568-3580.
Smolen, P, Baxter, DA, Byrne, JH. (2008) Bistable MAP kinase activity: a plausible mechanism contributing to maintenance of late long-term potentiation. Am. J. of Physiology-Cell Physiology, 294: C503–C515.
Liu, RY, Fioravante, D, Shah, S, Byrne, JH. (2008) CREB1 feedback loop is necessary for consolidation of long-term synaptic facilitation in Aplysia. J. Neuroscience, 28: 1970-1976.
Lorenzetti, F.D., Baxter, D.A. and Byrne, J.H. Molecular mechanisms underlying a cellular analogue of operant reward learning. Neuron, 59: 815-828, 2008. NIHMSID # 70417.
Mozzachiodi, R., Lorenzetti, F.D., Baxter, D.A., and Byrne, J.H. Changes in neuronal excitability serve as a mechanism of long-term memory for operant conditioning. Nature Neuroscience, 11:1146-1148, 2008.
Fioravante, D., Liu, R.Y. and Byrne, J.H. The ubiquitin-proteasome system is necessary for long-term synaptic depression in Aplysia. J. Neuroscience. 28:10245-10256, 2008. NIHMSID # 72703.
Mozzachiodi, R. and Byrne, J.H. More than synaptic plasticity: Role of nonsynaptic plasticity in learning and memory. Trends in Neurosciences 33:17-26, 2010. NIHMS #157344, PMID #19889466
Zhang, Y., Smolen, P.D., Baxter, D.A. and Byrne, J.H. The sensitivity of memory consolidation and reconsolidation to inhibitors of protein synthesis and kinases: Computational analysis. Learning and Memory, 17: 428-439, 2010.
Liu, R.Y., Shah, S., Cleary, L.J. and Byrne, J.H. Serotonin- and training-induced dynamic regulation of CREB2 in Aplysia. Learning and Memory, 18:245-249, 2011.
Liu, R.Y., Cleary, L.J. and Byrne, J.H. The requirement for enhanced CREB1 expression in consolidation of long-term synaptic facilitation and long-term excitability in sensory neurons of Aplysia. J. Neuroscience, 31:6871-6879, 2011.
Lorenzetti, F.D., Baxter, D.A. and Byrne, J.H. Classical conditioning analog enhanced acetylcholine responses but reduced excitability of an identified neuron. J. Neuroscience, 31:14789-14793, 2011. PMCID: PMC3198865
Zhang, Y., Liu, R.Y., Heberton, G.A., Smolen, P.D., Baxter, D.A., Cleary, L.J. and Byrne, J.H. Computational design of enhanced learning protocols Nature Neuroscience, 15:294-297, 2012. PMID#22197829
Hart, A.K., Fioravante, D., Liu, R.Y., Phares, G.A., Cleary, L.J., and Byrne, J.H. Serotonin-mediated synapsin expression is necessary for long-term facilitation of the Aplysia sensorimotor synapse. J. Neuroscience, 31:18401-1841, 2011. PMID#22171042, NIHMSID#347966.
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March 22, 2012 4:43 PM
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