Loss of activity-induced phosphorylation of MeCP2 enhances synaptogenesis, LTP and spatial memory

The authors generated a knock-in mouse line in which the MeCP2 protein cannot be phosphorylated by neuronal activity, and found that the mice exhibit superior hippocampus-dependent memory performance and enhanced synaptic plasticity by upregulating MeCP2 target genes, including BDNF, and have higher levels of excitatory synaptogenesis.