A gαq signaling pathway in dopaminergic neurons suppresses memory
- 1Georgetown University
Abstract
Which experiences persist as memories is a fundamental question in neurobiology. The balance between memory persistence and suppression is thought to be optimal for an organism to adapt to the ever-changing environment. Memory suppression is a process by which the brain limits the strength and expression of memories. Memory suppressors are genes whose disruption can enhance memory at different stages: acquisition, consolidation, forgetting, or recall. Here, using aversive classical conditioning in Drosophila, we show that Gq acts as a memory suppressor in PPL1 dopaminergic neurons. Knockdown of gq in dopaminergic neurons enhances acquisition, strengthens anesthesia-resistant memory, and impairs reversal learning. In vivo functional imaging revealed that gq knockdown amplifies shock-evoked responses in a type of PPL1 neuron. Additionally, using ex vivo imaging and pharmacological experiments, we reveal that both Gq and the OAMB receptor alter octopamine-evoked ER calcium responses in PPL1 neurons. Our results uncover a new role of Gq signaling within dopaminergic neurons that suppresses memory.
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BibTeX
@misc{martinezcervantes2026gαq,
title = {{A gαq signaling pathway in dopaminergic neurons suppresses memory}},
author = {J. C. Martinez-Cervantes and P. Shah and I. Cervantes Sandoval},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.13.758534},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.758534v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - A gαq signaling pathway in dopaminergic neurons suppresses memory
AU - J. C. Martinez-Cervantes
AU - P. Shah
AU - I. Cervantes Sandoval
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.13.758534
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.758534v1
AB - Which experiences persist as memories is a fundamental question in neurobiology. The balance between memory persistence and suppression is thought to be optimal for an organism to adapt to the ever-changing environment. Memory suppression is a process by which the brain limits the strength and expression of memories. Memory suppressors are genes whose disruption can enhance memory at different stages: acquisition, consolidation, forgetting, or recall. Here, using aversive classical conditioning in Drosophila, we show that Gq acts as a memory suppressor in PPL1 dopaminergic neurons. Knockdown of gq in dopaminergic neurons enhances acquisition, strengthens anesthesia-resistant memory, and impairs reversal learning. In vivo functional imaging revealed that gq knockdown amplifies shock-evoked responses in a type of PPL1 neuron. Additionally, using ex vivo imaging and pharmacological experiments, we reveal that both Gq and the OAMB receptor alter octopamine-evoked ER calcium responses in PPL1 neurons. Our results uncover a new role of Gq signaling within dopaminergic neurons that suppresses memory.
SN - 2692-8205
ER -