The effect of autonomous alpha-CaMKII expression on sensory responses and experience-dependent plasticity in mouse barrel cortex

The calcium/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) autophosphorylation site is thoug ht to be important for plasticity. learning and memory. If autophosphorylat ion is prevented by a point mutation (T286A) LTP is blocked in the hippocam pus and cortex. Conversely, if the point mutation mimics autophosphorylatio n (T286D) a range of frequencies that normally produce LTP in wild types ca use LTD instead. In order to test whether the alpha CaMKII-T286D mutation i ncreases levels of depression in vivo, we examined the effect of the aCaMKI I-T286D transgene on plasticity induced in the barrel cortex by whisker dep rivation. Surprisingly, the mutation did not affect depression or potentiat ion. However, in animals reared with the trans-ene turned on from birth, th e surround receptive field responses were greater than normal. This effect may be due to the potentiating action of autophosphorylated CaMKII during e arly development. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.