Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of evaluating whether a compound is effective in activating a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter in a human neuronal cell which comprises: (a) contacting the human neuronal cell which has been stably transformed by a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene of interest operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter which has a nucleotide sequence of the promoter in ATCC Accession No. 98582 with the compound, and (b) comparing the expression level of the gene of interest in the neuronal cell in step (a) with the level in the neuronal cell in the absence of the compound, thereby determining whether the compound is effective in activating the calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of evaluating whether a compound is effective in activating a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter in a human neuronal cell which comprises: (a) contacting the human neuronal cell which has been stably transformed by a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene of interest operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter which has a nucleotide sequence of the promoter in ATCC Accession No. 98582 with the compound, and (b) comparing the expression level of the gene of interest in the neuronal cell in step (a) with the level in the neuronal cell in the absence of the compound, thereby determining whether the compound is effective in activating the calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a region of a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter operatively linked to a gene of interest. The region of a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter may comprise an 8.5 kilobase nucleic acid sequence which corresponds to the nucleic acid sequence of ATCC Accession No.: ______, designated pMM281. The present invention also provides a human cell line which has been stably transformed by a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene of interest operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II? promoter region which has a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the sequence of ATCC Accession No. ______, designated pMM281. The present invention also provides for a transgenic nonhuman mammal whose germ or somatic cells contain a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a gene of interest under the control of a CaMKII? promoter (ATCC Accession No.

Abstract: A recombinant nucleic acid comprising nucleotides corresponding to a 3.2 kb 3? untranslated region present in mouse calcium calmodulin kinase II alpha subunit-encoding mRNA is provided. An isolated nucleic acid which hybridizes to the 3? untranslated region of mouse calcium calmodulin kinase II alpha subunit-encoding mRNA under conditions comprising two post-hybridization washes of 15 minutes each at 42° C. in 0.2× standard sodium citrate buffer is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a region of a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II&agr; promoter operatively linked to a gene of interest. The region of a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II&agr; promoter may comprise an 8.5 kilobase nucleic acid sequence which corresponds to the nucleic acid sequence of ATCC Accession No. ______, designated pMM281. The present invention also provides a human cell line which has been stably transformed by a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene of interest operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II&agr; promoter region which has a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the sequence of ATCC Accession No. ______, designated pMM281. The present invention also provides for a transgenic nonhuman mammal whose germ or somatic cells contain a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a gene of interest under the control of a CaMKII&agr; promoter (ATCC Accession No.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a transgenic nonhuman mammal whose germ or somatic cells contain a nucleic acid molecule which encodes calcineurin or a variant thereof under the control of a regulatable promoter, introduced into the mammal, or an ancestor thereof, at an embryonic stage. The present invention also provides for a method of evaluating whether a compound is effective in improving long-term memory in a subject suffering from impaired long-term memory which comprises: (a) administering the compound to the transgenic nonhuman mammal of claim 1 wherein the mammal has increased brain-specific calcineurin activity due to expression of the nucleic acid, and (b) comparing the long-term memory of the mammal in step (a) with the long-term memory of the mammal in the absence of the compound so as to determine whether the compound is effective in rescuing the long-term memory defect in the subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a recombinant DNA construct for expressing a gene of interest comprising a mouse calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase IIá promoter operatively linked to a gene of interest. The present invention also provides for a murine neuronal cell line which has been stably transformed with the recombinant DNA construct.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a transgenic nonhuman mammal whose germ or somatic cells contain a nucleic acid molecule which encodes calcineurin or a variant thereof under the control of a regulatable promoter, introduced into the mammal, or an ancestor thereof, at an embryonic stage. The present invention also provides for a method of evaluating whether a compound is effective in improving long-term memory in a subject suffering from impaired long-term memory which comprises: (a) administering the compound to the transgenic nonhuman mammal of claim 1 wherein the mammal has increased brain-specific calcineurin activity due to expression of the nucleic acid, and (b) comparing the long-term memory of the mammal in step (a) with the long-term memory of the mammal in the absence of the compound so as to determine whether the compound is effective in rescuing the long-term memory defect in the subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a region of a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II&agr; promoter operatively linked to a gene of interest. The region of a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II&agr; promoter may comprise an 8.5 kilobase nucleic acid sequence which corresponds to the nucleic acid sequence of ATCC Accession No. ______ , designated pMM281. The present invention also provides a human cell line which has been stably transformed by a recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene of interest operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase II&agr; promoter region which has a nucleotide sequence corresponding to the sequence of ATCC Accession No. ______ designated pMM281. The present invention also provides for a transgenic nonhuman mammal whose germ or somatic cells contain a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a gene of interest under the control of a CaMKII&agr; promoter (ATCC Accession No.