Effect of Arc gene on intergenerational memory

Recent studies have revealed that parental exposure to environmental stimuli could induce epigenetic modifications that affect gametes, pass on to offspring, and affect the phenotype of several later generations persistently. This is a phenomenon known as trans-generational memory. The VLPs encoded by Cer1 retrotransposon in C. elegans has been shown to be crucial for trans-generational transmission of learned avoidance behaviour memory, which is propagated and functions via germlines. Arc is a neuronal gene that similar to Cer1, encoding a protein involved in consolidation of animal memory. Here, we hypothesized that Arc and Cer1 shared a similar mechanisms and RNA in Arc VLPs can be spread by germline. GAG is a retroviral protein also encoded by Arc gene, mediating RNA transfer between nerve cells. Therefore, four experiments on mice are designed in this paper in order to confirm the hypothesis above and investigate the functions of GAG protein in trans-generational memory, namely (1) dependency of Arc in intergenerational memory, (2) if there is Arc expressed in sperm, (3) the specific RNA sequences that involved in the process, and (4) the role of the GAG protein.