Brain protein metabolism and the acquisition of new patterns of behavior

Three cytoplasmic proteins (designated alpha, beta and gamma) in the goldfish brain consistently incorporated more labeled valine in animals that had acquired a new pattern of swimming behavior than in untrained animals. The changes were identified by double labeling techniques ([3H]valine injected into trained experimental animals and [14C]valine into untrained controls) and by gel-electrophoresis. Goldfish tested in a variety of control behavioral situations showed no detectable protein changes. The migration properties of alpha, beta, and gamma correspond to proteins having molecular weights of 37,000, 32,000, and 26,000, respectively. Two of the proteins (beta and gamma) were isolated, purified, and injected into rabbits. The antisera thus obtained were used: (i) to establish that the proteins are normal components of goldfish brain; (ii) to inhibit long-term retention of the behavior; and (iii) to demonstrate by immunofluorescence methods that the beta and gamma proteins are localized in certain cells at specific brain regions.