FVB.Cg-Tg(Eno2-cre)39Jme/J

Stock number: 006297
Product name: NSE39-Cre
Research areas: Developmental Biology Research, Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

These transgenic mice harbor a Cre recombinase gene under the control of the rat neuron specific enolase (NSE or Eno2) gene, directing Cre recombinase activity to neurons with expression in many tissue types. These mice may also be useful in studies of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) .

Detailed description

Mice hemizygous for this NSE39-Cre transgene are viable, fertile, normal in size, and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. These NSE39-Cre mice harbor a transgenic insert consisting of the Cre recombinase gene under the control of the promoter region of the rat neuron specific enolase (NSE or Eno2) gene. As such, Cre recombinase activity is directed to neurons with expression in many tissue types. When bred with mice containing a loxP-flanked sequence of interest, Cre-mediated recombination will result in deletion of the flanked genome.

Specifically, these NSE39-Cre transgenic mice may also be useful in studies of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) along with mice harboring a conditional (floxed) Smn1 gene (see Stock No. 006138 or Stock No. 006146).

Additional SMA strains expressing cre in striated muscle are available as well (see Stock No. 005936, Stock No. 006139, and Stock No. 006149).

NSE39-Cre transgenic mice are available on different genetic backgrounds (see Stock No. 005938, Stock No. 006297, and Stock No. 006663). In an attempt to offer alleles on well-characterized or multiple genetic backgrounds, alleles are frequently moved to a genetic background different from that on which an allele was first characterized. It should be noted that the NSE39-Cre phenotype could vary from that originally described on a mixed genetic background. We will modify the strain description if necessary as published results become available.

Importation of this model was supported by the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation. Creation and development was supported by the National Institute of Health and Medical Research of France (Inserm) and the Association Française contre les Myopathies (AFM). An additional help was provided by Families of SMA (U.S.A.) and Andrew's Buddies (U.S.A.).

Development

A targeting vector was designed placing a Cre recombinase gene (preceded by the rabbit beta-globin intron and followed by the SV40 polyadenylation signal) under control of the promoter region from the rat neuron specific enolase (NSE or Eno2) gene. This construct was microinjected into (C57BL6 x SJL)F1 embryos and implanted into pseudopregnant foster mothers. Founder 39 was bred to C57BL/6 to generate transgenic mice. At different points while maintaining this strain, transgenic mice were bred with C57BL/6 wild-type mice and/or mice harboring a loxP-flanked exon 7 mutation (Smn1^tm1Jme or SMN^F7) on a C57BL/6 and "129Sv" mixed background. As the donating investigator reports no germline expression for this transgene, Cre-mediated deletion of the "floxed" exon does not occur in the germline. Thus, offspring contained either the wild-type Smn1 locus or the "floxed" locus; never the Smn1 deletion. Transgenic offspring bearing the wild-type Smn1 locus on this mixed (but predominantly B6;129) background were sent to The Jackson Laboratory by Dr. Judith Melki in 2006 as Stock No. 005938. The mice were then backcrossed to FVB/NJ (Stock No. 001800) for five generations to establish Stock No. 006297.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(Eno2-cre)39Jme
Name: transgene insertion 39, Judith Melki
MGI accession ID: MGI:2177175
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing
Marker symbol: Tg(Eno2-cre)39Jme
Marker name: transgene insertion 39, Judith Melki
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: (C57BL/6J x SJL)F1
Expressed genes: cre,cre recombinase,bacteriophage P1
Site of expression: neurons in many tissue types
Molecular note: This transgene expresses Cre recombinase under the control of a rat neuron-specific enolase promoter.