Divergent phenotypes in germline versus conditional mutant mouse models of Sifrim-Hitz-Weiss Syndrome

Chromatin remodellers are among the most important risk genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), however, their functions during brain development are not fully understood. Here, we focused on Sifrim-Hitz-Weiss Syndrome (SIHIWES) – a brain overgrowth/intellectual disability disorder caused by mutations in the CHD4 chromodomain helicase gene. We utilized mouse genetics to excise the Chd4 ATPase/helicase domain – either in the germline, or conditionally in the developing telencephalon. Conditional heterozygotes exhibited little change in cortical size and cellular composition, and had only subtle behavioral phenotypes. Telencephalon-specific conditional knockouts had marked reductions in cortical growth, reduced numbers of upper-layer neurons, and exhibited alterations in anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Despite the fact that germline heterozygotes exhibited comparable growth defects, they were unaffected in these behaviors, but instead exhibited female-specific alterations in learning and memory. These data reveal unexpected phenotypic divergence arising from differences in the spatiotemporal deployment of loss-of-function manipulations, underscoring the importance of context in chromatin remodeller function during neurodevelopment. Graphical Abstract.