Neurochondrin negatively regulates CaMKII phosphorylation, and nervous system-specific gene disruption results in epileptic seizure.

Neurochondrin is a novel cytoplasmic protein and possibly involved in neurite outgrowth, chondrocyte differentiation, and bone metabolism. Our previous trial in disclosing its role by the loss of function in mice failed because of the lethality in utero. In this study, we eliminated the neurochondrin gene expression preferentially in the nervous system by the conditional knockout strategy. Our results showed that neurochondrin is a negative regulator of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation and essential for the spatial learning process but not for the differentiation or neurite outgrowth of the neuron. In addition, the nervous system-specific homozygous gene disruption resulted in epileptic seizure.