Velho, Tarciso André FerreiraArruda, Andrea Caroline Costa de2023-09-262023-09-262022-11-10ARRUDA, Andrea Caroline Costa de. ZENK regula o aprendizado do canto do Mandarim-Diamante (Taenopygia gutatta). Orientador: Tarciso André Ferreira Velho. 2022. 110f. Tese (Doutorado em Neurociências) - Instituto do Cérebro, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2022.https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/54904Activity-dependent gene expression represents the link between neuronal activity and memory formation. Among these induced genes, zenk (a.k.a.egr1) was one of the first examples of a behavioral-linked gene and has been associated with memory formation in rodents. However, the role of zenk in vocal learning remains unknown. To investigate the precise contribution of this gene for the acquisition and maintenance of song memories in zebra finches (Taeniopigygia guttata), we developed a dominant negative ZENK to manipulate the transcriptional activity of the endogenous protein. Using this tool, we have found that normal ZENK activity is required for song development. Downregulation of ZENK transcriptional activity using an alternative inhibitor, NAB1, confirms these results and provides support for the specificity of our manipulation. Furthermore, our results show that ZENK blockade does not alter the development of innate vocalizations, suggesting that this activity-dependent gene is involved mainly in learned behaviors. Our findings provide for the first time a clear causal link between ZENK and vocal learning. More importantly, they represent one of the first steps towards understanding the molecular processes involved in the acquisition of vocal signals, a process that is also required for human speech.Acesso AbertoMandarim-DiamanteZENKGenes imediatosAprendizado vocaldoctoralThesisCNPQ::OUTROS::CIENCIAS