STOCK Tg(Gad1-EGFP)94Agmo/J

Stock number: 006334
Product name: GAD67-GFP X94
Strain synonyms: STOCK Tg(Gad1-EGFP)94Agmo/J
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

GFP in these X94 transgenic mice is observed in stuttering interneurons in the thalamo-recipient neocortical layers of the forebrain.

Detailed description

Mice hemizygous for the transgenic insert are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. These transgenic mice express Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) under the direction of the mouse Gad1 (glutamic acid decarboxylase 1 or GAD67) promoter. In the forebrain, EGFP expression is restricted to the somatosensory barrel neocortex, mostly in laminar layers 4 and 5B, to a lesser extent in layers 2/3, 5A and upper 6. EGFP expression is also found in subsets of cerebellar interneurons and in the brainstem. In founder line 94 transgenic mice fluorescence is observed in neocortical neurons with axonal arborizations in layer 4 that have a stuttering firing pattern. Fluorescence levels are low in animals younger than 2 weeks of age. The fluorescently labeled subset of somatostatin-containing (SOM+) interneurons in founder line 94 transgenic mice is distinct from the population of neurons labeled in founder line 98 (Stock No. 006340) or in mice expressing Tg(GadGFP)45704Swn (Stock No. 003718) in location, neurochemical markers, axonal morphologies, and electrophysiological characteristics. This mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of populations of inhibitory interneurons of the neocortex and cerebellum.

Development

A transgenic construct containing EGFP gene under the control of the mouse Gad1, glutamic acid decarboxylase 1, promoter was injected into fertilized C57BL6 X SJL mouse eggs. Founder line 94 was established. Animals were initially bred to C57BL/6 mice and then bred to outbred CD-1 mice. The mice were then bred to outbred Hilltop Swiss ICR mice. The Donating Investigator maintained the strain by mating hemizygotes to outbred mice.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(Gad1-EGFP)94Agmo
Name: transgene insertion 94, Ariel Agmon
MGI accession ID: MGI:3697310
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Reporter
Marker symbol: Tg(Gad1-EGFP)94Agmo
Marker name: transgene insertion 94, Ariel Agmon
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: (C57BL/6 x SJL)F1
Expressed genes: GFP,Green Fluorescent Protein,
Site of expression: forebrain (restricted to the somatosensory barrel neocortex, mostly in laminar layers 4 and 5B, to a lesser extent in layers 2/3, 5A and upper 6); subsets of cerebellar interneurons and in the brainstem; neocortical neurons with axonal arborizations in layer 4 that have a stuttering firing pattern; low fluorescence in animals younger than 2 weeks of age
Molecular note: The transgene comprises 10.3 kb of mouse genomic DNA containing the promoter region from the glutamic acid decarboxylase 1 (Gad1, commonly called GAD67) gene, including the 5' regulatory sequences, (noncoding) exon 1, intron 1 and a segment of exon 2, joined in-frame to the coding sequence of enhanced green fluorescent protein followed by an SV40 polyadenylation signal. The encoded fusion protein contains the first 17 amino acids of GAD1, 4 amino acids derived from the pEGFP-1 vector, and the entire enhanced green fluorescent protein. GFP expression is observed in stuttering interneurons with quasi fast-spiking properties in the cerebral cortex.
General note: Of 11 initial lines derived from founders shown by PCR analysis to carry the transgene, 5 that expressed EGFP in the brain continued to be maintained. Two of these, designated by the authors X94 and X98, in which cortical EGFP expression was limited to nonpyramidal cells were subjected to further analysis.