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Clayton, David F.
Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology
B.S., A.B.J., University of Georgia
Ph.D., Rockefeller University
Research Areas
Molecular mechanisms underlying learning, memory and neurological disease
Our work is aimed at defining molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate plastic change in the vertebrate nervous system. We focus on songbirds, the zebra finch in particular, as models for study. Our past work has identified several key control points in both developmental and adult plasticity. These include regulation of the ZENK and alpha-synuclein (synelfin) genes, modulation of ERK (MEK) and caspase activities, and neural synthesis of estrogen. In the last few years, our major focus has been on collaborative development of new technologies for studying gene-brain-behavior relationships. These technologies include a growing database and microarray of gene sequences expressed in the brain (the Songbird Neurogenomics Initiative), whole-genome sequencing (songbirdgenome.org), mass-spectroscopy-based methods for proteomic analysis, and novel non-invasive approaches for analyzing physiological activity in the brain.
Representative Publications
London, S. E.; Clayton, D. F., Functional identification of sensory mechanisms required for developmental song learning. Nature Neuroscience 2008, 11, (5), 579-586.
Naurin, S.; Bensch, S.; Hansson, B.; Johansson, T.; Clayton, D. F.; Albrekt, A. S.; Von Schantz, T.; Hasselquist, D., A microarray for large-scale genomic and transcriptional analyses of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and other passerines. Molecular Ecology Resources 2008, 8, (2), 275-281.
Replogle, K.; Arnold, A. P.; Ball, G. F.; Band, M.; Bensch, S.; Brenowitz, E. A.; Dong, S.; Drnevich, J.; Ferris, M.; George, J. M.; Gong, G.; Hasselquist, D.; Hernandez, A. G.; Kim, R.; Lewin, H. A.; Liu, L.; Lovell, P. V.; Mello, C. V.; Naurin, S.; Rodriguez-Zas, S.; Thimmapuram, J.; Wade, J.; Clayton, D. F., The Songbird Neurogenomics (SoNG) Initiative: Community-based tools and strategies for study of brain gene function and evolution. BMC Genomics 2008, 9.
Amaya, K. R.; Monroe, E. B.; Sweedler, J. V.; Clayton, D. F. Lipid imaging in the zebra finch brain with secondary ion mass spectrometry. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 2007, 260, (2-3), 121-127.
Itoh, Y.; Melamed, E.; Yang, X.; Kampf, K.; Wang, S.; Yehya, N.; Van Nas, A.; Drake, T. A.; Replogle, K.; Band, M. R.; Clayton, D. F.; Schadt, E. E.; Lusis, A. J.; Arnold, A. P. Dosage compensation in birds versus mammals. Journal of Biology 2007, 6, (2), 2.2-2.15.
Sloley, S.; Smith, S.; Algeciras, M.; Cavett, V.; Busby, J. A. C.; London, S.; Clayton, D. F.; Bhattacharya, S. K. Proteomic analyses of songbird (Zebra finch; Taeniopygia guttata) retina. Journal of Proteome Research 2007, 6, (3), 1093-1100.
Sloley, S.; Smith, S.; Gandhi, S.; Caldwell Busby, J. A.; London, S.; Luksch, H.; Clayton, D. F.; Bhattacharya, S. K. Proteomic analyses of zebra finch optic tectum and comparative histochemistry. Journal of Proteome Research 2007, 6, (6), 2341-2350. DOI: 10.1021/pr070126w.
Huesmann, G. R.; Clayton, D. F. Dynamic role of postsynaptic caspase-3 and BIRC4 in zebra finch song-response habituation. Neuron 2006, 52, (6), 1061-1072.
Kruse AA, Stripling R, and Clayton DF. 2004. Context-specific habituation of the zenk gene response to song in adult zebra finches. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 82:99-108.
Cheng H-Y, and Clayton DF. 2004. Activation and habituation of ERK phosphorylation in zebra finch auditory forebrain during song presentation. Journal of Neuroscience 24:7503-13.
Clayton DF. 2004. Songbird genomics: methods, mechanisms, opportunities and pitfalls. In: Behavioral Neurobiology of Birdsong, ed. H.P. Zeigler and P. Marler, Annals of N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1016:45-60.
Holloway CC, and Clayton DF. 2001. Estrogen synthesis in the male brain triggers development of the zebra finch song control circuit in vitro. Nature Neuroscience 4:170-175.
Additional Information
Collaborative Projects:
Songbird Neurogenomics Initiative
Professor Gene Robinson - The role of dynamic changes in gene expression on neural and behavioral plasticity
Professor Julia George - Molecular function of synucleins
Professor Bruce Schatz - Comparative informatics of neural plasticity
Professor Gabriele Gratton - Dynamic imaging of brain physiology using novel optical methods
Professors Jonathan Sweedler and Peter Yau - Neuroproteomics Center on cell-cell signaling
Professor Barney Schlinger (UCLA) - Neural steroidogenic enzymes and brain function
Related Research (By Area):
Bioinformatics and Neuroinformatics
Cell Signaling and Communication
Learning, Memory, and Plasticity
Neuroethology
Neurogenomics and Sociogenomics
Sensory and Motor Systems
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