B6.Cg-Tg(BAT-lacZ)3Picc/J

Stock number: 005317
Product name: BAT-GAL
Research areas: Cell Biology Research, Developmental Biology Research, Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

These the BAT-GAL transgenic mice (also called β-catenin/TCF/LEF reporter transgenic mice) are a reporter strain that expresses beta-galactosidase in the presence of activated beta-catenin (mimics the pattern of Wnt signaling). These mice may be useful for identifying mutations that affect the Wnt-signalling pathway, and in the identification of Wnt-responsive cell populations in development and disease.

Detailed description

Mice homozygous for the transgenic insert are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. These "BAT-GAL" transgenic mice are a reporter strain that express beta-galactosidase in the presence of activated beta-catenin. The transgene expresses the lacZ gene under the control of a regulatory sequence consisting of seven consensus LEF/TCF-binding motifs upstream of the Xenopus siamois gene minimal promoter. Transgenic mice display beta-galactosidase activity beginning at embryonic day 6.0 in the posterior side of the proximal epiblast. Beta-galactosidase expression is detectable in the posterior primitive streak and node at gastrulation, and progresses to the paraxial mesoderm and notochord. Beta-galactosidase activity in developing and adult nervous tissue mimics the pattern of Wnt signaling. When bred to other mutant strains, this reporter strain may be useful for identifying mutations that affect the Wnt-signalling pathway, and in the identification of Wnt-responsive cell populations in development and disease.

In 2012, the laboratory of Dr. Glen L Radice (Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia) reported that when breeding BAT-GAL transgenic mice with junction plakoglobin mutant mice (Jup; see Stock No. 017575), the BAT-GAL transgene did not segregate randomly with respect to the Jup locus. They concluded that the BAT-GAL transgene is located within several centimorgans (11/201, 5.47% recombination frequency) of the Jup gene (Chr11:100230272-100259077 bp; - strand [NCBI Build 37]). For similar Wnt-signalling beta-galactosidase reporter function with mutant alleles on chromosome 11, they suggest considering TOP-GAL transgenic mice (Stock No. 004623).

Development

A transgenic construct containing the lacZ gene under the control of a promoter consisting of seven consensus LEF-/TCF-binding motifs upstream of the 0.13 kb minimal promoter of the Xenopus siamois gene was injected into fertilized B6D2F2 mouse eggs. Founder animals were bred to CD-1 outbred mice. After this, transgenic mice were bred to C57BL/6J mice for at least five generations prior to sending to The Jackson Laboratory Repository in 2006. Upon arrival, transgenic mice were bred once to C57BL/6J inbred mice (Stock No. 000664) to establish our live colony.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(BAT-lacZ)3Picc
Name: transgene insertion 3, Stefano Piccolo
MGI accession ID: MGI:3697064
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Reporter
Marker symbol: Tg(BAT-lacZ)3Picc
Marker name: transgene insertion 3, Stefano Piccolo
Chromosome: 11
Strain of origin: (C57BL/6 x DBA/2)F2
Expressed genes: lacZ,beta-galactosidase,E. coli
Site of expression: beta-galactosidase activity in developing and adult nervous tissue mimics the pattern of Wnt signaling
Molecular note: Mice with this transgene express nuclear beta-galactosidase under control of the beta-catenin-activated transgene (BAT) promoter. This promoter consists of a DNA fragment extending 0.13 kb upstream from the translation start site of the novel protein containing homeodomain (siamois) gene of Xenopus laevis, which contains the (beta-catenin non-responsive) minimal promoter of this natively beta-catenin activated gene, downstream of seven synthetic lymphoid enhancer factor/T-cell factor- (LEF/TCF-) binding sites that effectively restore the promoter's beta-catenin responsiveness. The transgene does not segregate randomly with respect to the Jup locus indicating that the transgene insertion site is genetically linked to Jup.
General note: This is one of three "BAT-gal" transgenic lines generated, which the authors state exhibitied "qualitatively identical expression patterns, although quantitative differences could be observed."