B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-EGFP)OJrs/GfngJ

Stock number: 007919
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

These Thy1-GFP line O transgenic mice may be useful for fluorescent labeling of neural tissues; especially motor axons and cerebellar mossy fibers, as well as intense, yet sparse, labeling of a variety of cortical neurons.

Detailed description

Mice hemizygous for the Thy1-GFP transgene are viable and fertile with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression under the control of a modified Thy1 promoter region (containing the sequences required for neuronal expression but lacking the sequences required for expression in non-neural cells). Thy1-GFP mice derived from founder line O express EGFP in subsets of neurons within specific populations; providing a bright, vital Golgi-like stain. High (>80%) EGFP expression is observed in motor axons and cerebellar mossy fibers. Low (<10%) EGFP expression is observed in retinal ganglion cells and lumbar dorsal root ganglion. Sparse EGFP-labeling is also observed in neurons from multiple cortical layers. These Thy1-GFP line O transgenic mice may be useful for fluorescent labeling of neural tissues; especially motor axons and cerebellar mossy fibers, as well as intense, yet sparse, labeling of a variety of cortical neurons.

This strain is one of many from the same transgene creator/donating investigator with specific/differential fluorescent protein expression in neural tissues (see Stock No. 003709, Stock No. 003710, Stock No. 003782, Stock No. 005630, and Stock No. 007788) or multiple fluorescent protein expression in neural tissues (see the Brainbow mice; Stock No. 007901, Stock No. 007910, Stock No. 007911, Stock No. 007921).

Development

The Thy1-GFP transgene was designed in the laboratory of Dr. Joshua R. Sanes with a modified regulatory region of the "murine thy1.2 gene" (extending from the promoter to the intron following exon 4, excluding exon 3 and its flanking introns) upstream of an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) sequence. This transgene was injected into (C57BL/6J and CBA)F1 fertilized oocytes. Transgenic founders (line O) were bred with C57BL/6J to generate Thy1-GFP line O colony. The colony was subsequently backcrossed to C57BL6/J mice for at least six generations. Next, Thy1-GFP line O transgenic mice were transferred to the laboratory of Dr. Guoping Feng (Duke University), where they were maintained by breeding transgenic mice with wildtype (noncarrier) siblings or C57BL/6 mice for at least ten generations prior to arrival at The Jackson Laboratory. Upon arrival, mice were bred to C57BL/6J inbred mice (Stock No. 000664) for at least one generation to establish the colony.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(Thy1-EGFP)OJrs
Name: transgene insertion O, Joshua R Sanes
MGI accession ID: MGI:4355869
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Reporter
Marker symbol: Tg(Thy1-EGFP)OJrs
Marker name: transgene insertion O, Joshua R Sanes
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: (C57BL/6J x CBA)F1
Expressed genes: GFP,Green Fluorescent Protein,
Site of expression: GFP is expressed in motor axons, cerebellar mossy fibers, and a variety of cortical neurons.
Molecular note: The regulatory region of the murine thy1.2 gene from the promoter to the intron following exon 4, excluding exon 3 and its flanking introns drives an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) sequence. This transgene was injected into fertilized oocytes. Transgenic founders (line O) were bred with C57BL/6J to generate the Thy1-GFP line O colony.