Learning selectively increases protein kinase C substrate phosphorylation in specific regions of the chick brain

The effect of imprinting, an early form of exposure learning, on the phosphorylation state of the protein kinase C substrates myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) and protein F1/43-kDa growth-associated protein (F1/GAP-43) was studied in two regions of the chick forebrain. One region, the intermediate and medial part of the hyperstriatum ventrale (IMHV), is probably a site of long-term memory; the other, the wulst, contains somatic sensory and visual projection areas. After imprinting, a significant increase in MARCKS protein phosphorylation was observed in the left IMHV but not the right IMHV. No significant alteration in F1/GAP-43 was observed in IMHV. MARCKS was resolved into two acidic components of pI ≈5.0 and ≈4.0. Phosphorylation of the pI ≈5.0 MARCKS but not the pI ≈4.0 MARCKS was significantly altered by imprinting. The partial correlation between preference score (an index of learning) and phosphorylation, holding constant the effect of approach activity during training, was significant only for the pI ≈5.0 MARCKS in the left IMHV. A significant negative partial correlation between preference score and F1/GAP-43 phosphorylation in the right wulst was observed. Because the imprinting-induced alteration in MARCKS is selective with respect to phosphoprotein moiety, hemispheric location, and brain region, we propose that these alterations may be central to the learning process.