A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) are a large family proteins that share the ability to bind the regulatory subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). AKAP-PKA interactions tether PKA to various intracellular loci, keeping PKA in close proximity to its substrates. AKAP complexes also contain protein phosphatases and phosphodiesterases. Disruption of AKAP-PKA interactions has been shown to alter PKA signaling in cultured cells. Our laboratory has generated transgenic mice that express an inhibitory fragment of Ht31, an AKAP cloned from human thyroid tissue, in forebrain neurons. Biochemical characterization of these animals demonstrated disruption of known AKAP complexes including PKA and protein phosphatase 1. These animals also display alterations in hippocampal and amygdala function as assessed by behavioral characterization in the spatial version of the Morris Water Maze and fear conditioning (Nie and Abel, SFN 2002). In this series of experiments we characterize the impact of transgenic Ht31 ex...