STOCK Tg(Nes-cre)1Wme/J

Stock number: 002858
Product name: bal1
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

These bal1 mice express a transgene containing Cre recombinase under the control of the rat nestin promoter.

Detailed description

These transgenic mice carry the Cre recombinase gene under the control of the rat nestin promoter. When crossed with a strain carrying a gene flanked by loxP sites, partial deletion of the loxP-flanked allele occurs before embryonic day 10.5 and is detectable in all adult organs examined including germ line cells. Because of the partial deletion, these balancer1 cre transgenic mice, as well as the balancer2 cre transgenic mice (Stock No. 002859), may be used to generate mosaic mice consisting of cells that are either wildtype or mutant for the gene of interest. The proportion of cells that carry the mutant allele varies between tissues and between individual mice. In cases where deletion of a particular gene is lethal, the generation of mosaic mice using these strains can bypass lethality in some mosaic individuals. The balancer2 line induces more variable deletion of loxP-flanked genes than the balancer1 line.

Development

The transgene contains the gene for Cre recombinase under the control of the rat nestin promoter and second intron enhancer. The "SLNE4c" construct was used. B6CBAF2 embryos were injected. This strain was submitted on a mixed C57BL/6, CBA, BALB/c, 129 background.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(Nes-cre)1Wme
Name: transgene insertion 1, Werner Muller
MGI accession ID: MGI:2386545
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing
Marker symbol: Tg(Nes-cre)1Wme
Marker name: transgene insertion 1, Werner Muller
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: (C57BL/6 x CBA)F2
Expressed genes: cre,cre recombinase,bacteriophage P1
Site of expression: induces variable mosaicism/partial deletion of loxP-flanked alleles before embryonic day 10.5 and in all adult organs (including germline), producing mosaic mice consisting of cells that are either wildtype or mutant for the gene of interest
Molecular note: The transgenic construct contained a nestin promoter followed by cre recombinase sequence adjoined to a nuclear localization signal. Intron 2 of the nestin gene was included upstream of a polyadenylation signal. While the endogenous nestin promoter is CNS-specific, Southern blot analysis showed the ubiquitous expression of cre in transgenic mice. Variable mosaicism/partial deletion of loxP-flanked alleles occurs before embryonic day 10.5, and it is detectable in all adult organs examined including germ line cells.
General note: Mice carrying this "balancer 1" transgene show less variability and instability in their generation of mosaics than do transgenic mice carrying the "balancer 2" transgene.