B6.129S4-Pten^tm1Hwu/J

Stock number: 006440
Product name: Pten^flox
Research areas: Apoptosis Research, Cancer Research, Cell Biology Research, Research Tools

Description

Pten^flox mice have loxP sites flanking exon 5 of the phosphatase and tensin homolog gene. This C57BL/6J-congenic Pten^flox strain is useful for generating Cre recombinase-inducible, tissue-specific PTEN knock-out in studies of oncology, tumor development, neurogenesis, glial differentiation and cerebellar development, for example.

Detailed description

These mice possess loxP sites flanking exon 5 of the targeted gene. Mice homozygous for the "floxed" allele are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. When used in conjunction with a Cre recombinase-expressing strain, this strain is useful in generating tissue-specific mutants of the floxed allele.

For example, when crossed to a strain expressing Cre recombinase in astrocytes (see Stock No. 012887), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of neurogenesis.

When crossed to a strain expressing Cre recombinase in the central nervous system (see Stock No. 004600), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of glia differentiation and cerebellar development.

When crossed to B6.129X1-Twist2^{tm1.1(cre)Dor}/J mice (Stock No. 008712) expressing Cre recombinase in mesoderm-derived tissues (including chondrocytes and osteoblasts) offspring die at birth and exhibit defects in angioblast differentiation.

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 phenotype could vary from that originally described. We will modify the strain description as published results become available.

Development

A loxP site flanked targeting vector containing hygromycin resistance and thymidine kinase genes was used in the construction of this mutant. This selection cassette was inserted downstream of exon 5 of the targeted gene, and another loxP site was inserted upstream of exon 5. This construct was electroporated into 129S4/SvJae derived LW-1 embryonic stem (ES) cells, which were transiently transfected with a Cre-recombinase vector to remove the selection cassette. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into BALB/c blastocysts. The resulting chimeric animals were crossed to BALB/cAnNTac mice before being made homozygous. The mice were then backcrossed onto the C57BL/6J background for at least five generations. As of 2016, this C57BL/6J-congenic Pten^flox strain has been backcrossed to C57BL/6J inbred mice for a total of at least 12 generations.

Allele

Symbol: Pten^tm1Hwu
Name: targeted mutation 1, Hong Wu
MGI accession ID: MGI:2156086
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Conditional ready (e.g. floxed); No functional change
Marker symbol: Pten
Marker name: phosphatase and tensin homolog
Chromosome: 19
Strain of origin: 129S4/SvJae
Site of expression: Pten is a widely expressed tumor suppresser gene.
Molecular note: A loxP flanked hygromycin resistance cassette was inserted 5' to exon 5, and a single loxP site was inserted 3' to exon 5, which encodes the phosphatase domain. The hygromycin cassette was removed in ES cells by transient Cre recombinase expression prior to the production of chimeric mice, leaving a single loxP site in place of the cassette. These insertions do not appear to have any effect on the normal function of the gene.
General note: Phenotypic Similarity to Human Syndrome: PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome (see OMIM:601728 Phosphatase And Tensin Homolog; PTEN) J:199362