Project 445306

Mutations in the ATRX gene cause intellectual disability in children, meaning that they have difficulties in learning and memorizing facts or events. The ATRX protein that is produced from this gene works to organize and package genes in the nucleus of cells, and can therefore have very different functions in different cell types that reside in the brain to help us remember correctly. Our lab has created several genetically modified mice to study the particular roles of ATRX in different brain cell types, including neurons (cells that propagate information or signals) or astrocytes (cells that control the propagation of that signal). Unexpectedly, we found that if we remove ATRX in astrocytes, the memory deficits are different than if we remove it in neurons, suggesting that ATRX regulates different genes in each cell type, enabling different kinds of memory processes. In this study, we want to determine whether memory is affected differently by loss of astrocytic ATRX depending on the sex of the mice. We also propose experiments to determine the role of ATRX in astrocytes in supporting signal propagation and memory processes and how we could potentially improve memory in these mice. The results generated will help us better understand how memories are regulated and identify strategies to improve memory in children with intellectual disability.