Deficiency in FTSJ1 Affects Neuronal Plasticity in the Hippocampal Formation of Mice.

The role of the tRNA methyltransferase FTSJ1 in the brain is largely unknown. We analyzed whether FTSJ1-deficient mice (KO) displayed altered neuronal plasticity. We explored open field behavior (10 KO mice (aged 22-25 weeks)) and 11 age-matched control littermates (WT) and examined mean layer thickness (7 KO; 6 WT) and dendritic spines (5 KO; 5 WT) in the hippocampal area CA1 and the dentate gyrus.