STOCK Bdnf^tm1Jae/J

Stock number: 002267
Product name: BDNF^-
Research areas: Apoptosis Research, Neurobiology Research, Sensorineural Research

Description

These Bdnf knock-out mice exhibit severe deficiencies in coordination and balance, associated with excessive degeneration in several sensory ganglia including the vestibular ganglion.

Detailed description

Mice heterozygous for the Bdnf^tm1Jae mutation show about 1/2 normal levels of Bdnf mRNA, but appear normal. Mice homozygous for the Bdnf^tm1Jae mutation are smaller than normal siblings and most die within the second postnatal week. They have defective coordination of movements and balance. They also exhibit head bobbing and spinning during periods of hyperactivity. There are rare survivors to adulthood. There is excessive degeneration in all sensory ganglia examined, including the vestibular ganglion. Motor neurons are not affected. BDNF can prevent death of central motor neurons and other neurons in vitro, but does not affect these in vivo.

Development

The Bdnf^tm1Jae mutant strain was developed in the laboratory of Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A part of exon 5 of the gene was deleted and replaced by a neomycin cassette. This deletion left 49 and 30 amino acids in the N and C termini, respectively. The 129-derived J1 ES cell line was used.

Allele

Symbol: Bdnf^tm1Jae
Name: targeted mutation 1, Rudolf Jaenisch
MGI accession ID: MGI:1857136
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Null/Knockout
Synonyms: BDNF^-; BDNF-KO
Marker symbol: Bdnf
Marker name: brain derived neurotrophic factor
Marker synonyms: ANON2; BULN2
Chromosome: 2
Strain of origin: 129S4/SvJae
Molecular note: A part of exon 5 of the gene was deleted and replaced by a neomycin cassette. This deletion left 49 and 30 amino acids in the N and C termini, respectively. Northern blot analysis on RNA derived from cerebral cortex showed that no detectable transcript is expressed from this allele.